Over 12 hours after a saloon car plunged into the Indian Ocean killing a mother and her 4-year-old daughter, the family of the deceased is yet to receive the bodies of their loved ones.
Mariam Kigenda Taita, 35, and daughter died after the vehicle they were traveling in slid off MV Harambee Sunday evening.
Grief-stricken family members now say not enough is being done to retrieve bodies of their kin.
By the time of going to press, only Maritime Police officers making patrols in the area were present. Divers were yet to arrive.
Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) said it has no divers who can retrieve the bodies and are waiting for help from Kenya Navy divers.
Naval officers could, however, be seen nearby conducting drills.
KFS and the family of the deceased, including Mariam’s husband, are camping at the Likoni channel, waiting for help to get the bodies and vehicle out of the sea.
Private divers – who have previously played a key role in rescue and retrieval efforts – have refused to participate in the exercise, citing non-payment for their previous work.
KFS under fire
A section of Mombasa residents have accused KFS management of negligence, asking how officials failed to rescue the mother and child.
Residents further questioned KFS’ ability to assure the safety of the thousands that use the cross the Likoni channel daily.
The ferry service has also come under fire online following a tweet that social media users have termed ‘insensitive’.
Attaching pictures two images of vessels at sea, KFS tweeted, “Good morning, We are serving you with four ferries at the Likoni channel and one at the Mtongwe channel. We wish you a blessed and fruitful day.”
The tweet caused an instant uproar online, with Kenyans on Twitter asking how they could post such a message just hours after two died on one of their ferries.
A grieving family
For now, grieving family members are camped at the Likoni Ferry crossing waiting for the bodies of their kin.
MM Shah, where 4-year-old Amanda went to school, has informed parents of the pupil’s demise.
Loved ones are left struggling to make sense of how a Sunday drive back from the farm ended in the demise of a mother and her young child.
