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Kenya: Homa Bay Boat Tragedy – Death Toll Reaches 10, Search Closed

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4 years ago

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The death from Tuesday’s boat tragedy in Homa Bay County has risen to 10 following the recovery of two more bodies.

Families of the two had camped at the shores of Lake Victoria with the hope that their kin’s bodies would be retrieved soon.

On Thursday afternoon, local fishermen joined officials of the Kenya Red Cross Society and the Kenya Maritime Authority in the search for the two bodies.

Mr John Okombo was among the first people to arrive at the beach on Tuesday after learning that his eldest son, Samson Otieno whad been on the ill-fated boat.

He watched as teams searched for and retrieved the other nine bodies.

According to the Luo tradition, families of people who die in water are supposed to stay at the scene until the bodies are found. There is a belief that those who do not engage in this may compromise the exercise.

Mr Okombo, 58, said he has slept in a tent on the lake shores for two nights, waiting for his son to be found, whether dead or alive.

“My son worked as a mason here in town. He was among those who boarded the boat. He has not been seen since the accident happened,” he said.

Mr Okombo received a call from one of his relatives that an accident had occurred in the lake and that his son was among those in the boat.

The son was in a group of Christians heading to Ndhuru for prayers. His family believed he was dead since he was not among those rescued. Only one person from the team survived the accident.