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4 people feared drowned in Lake Naivasha incident
03rd January, 2026 03:13 PM
A team from the Kenya Red Cross has retrieved one body from Lake Naivasha as search and rescue operations continue following a drowning incident involving fishermen.
The incident has left four people feared drowned, plunging families and the local fishing community into anxiety.
Through a brief statement shared on X on Saturday, January 3, 2026, the Kenya Red Cross confirmed that its emergency teams were on the ground responding to the incident in Nakuru County.
“One body has been recovered, and search and rescue/recovery operations for the others are ongoing,” the organisation stated, adding that efforts were being intensified as daylight allowed.
Search continues
According to the Red Cross, the incident involved fishermen whose boat capsized on the lake under circumstances that responders and local authorities were still establishing.
Rescue teams were seen combing the waters, while anxious families gathered along the shoreline, hoping for news of their loved ones.
The organisation did not immediately disclose the identities of the victims, noting that official confirmation would follow once recovery efforts conclude.
“Four people are feared to have drowned,” the Red Cross said in its update.
The Lake Naivasha tragedy comes barely weeks after another devastating water accident in western Kenya that claimed several lives, once again raising concerns about safety on the country’s major water bodies.
Tragedy echoes Siaya
In December 2025, five fishermen died after a boat capsized in Siaya while on a fishing expedition at Sanda Usoga in Lake Victoria.
According to Yimbo West Ward MCA Simion Angule, seven fishermen had ventured deeper into the lake to lay fishing nets when their boat was overwhelmed by strong waves.
“The group was on a fishing expedition when their vessel was overwhelmed by strong waves,” Angule said at the time.
Families later camped by the shore as rescue teams searched for missing bodies, scenes that mirror the pain now unfolding in Naivasha.
In both incidents, leaders and rescue agencies urged fishermen to prioritise safety, including wearing life jackets and avoiding dangerous conditions.
As operations continue at Lake Naivasha, Kenyans are once again confronted with the human cost of livelihoods tied to unpredictable waters.
The Kenya Red Cross said further updates would be issued as the search progresses, even as families cling to hope amid an unfolding tragedy.
