Activists demand arrests after three drown in Mombasa boat race tragedy
The victims’ bodies are yet to be recovered, raising concerns over the organisers’ alleged failure to enforce safety measures during the race.
Human rights activists in Mombasa are demanding the immediate arrest of organisers behind the East Africa Ocean Festival boat racing competition after three participants drowned during the event held at Tudor Water Sports Centre.
The victims’ bodies are yet to be recovered, raising concerns over the organisers’ alleged failure to enforce safety measures during the race.
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The three were among 22 participants whose boat capsized during the final stage of the dragon boat race.
Nineteen managed to swim to safety, but the remaining three disappeared into the deep waters, prompting a search and rescue operation that has now turned into a recovery mission.
“This was pure negligence. The event should never have proceeded without ensuring that every participant had proper safety gear. We are calling for those responsible to be held accountable immediately,” said Walid Sketty, a human rights activist from Vocal Afrika, who accused the organisers of disregarding basic safety protocols
Eyewitnesses and survivors described chaotic scenes as competitors struggled to stay afloat after their boat overturned.
According to Ishmael Onyango, a survivor from the Kijiweni Uplifters team based in Mombasa’s Bangladesh area, the tragedy could have been avoided if safety precautions had been observed.
“None of us had life jackets during the race. We used them during practice sessions, but on the event day, only one team had them. We were approaching the finish line when our boat suddenly capsized. It all happened so quickly,” Onyango said.
Onyango added that the organisers had not reached out to the affected teams since the incident occurred. “We were 22 on that boat, and the three missing are our teammates. Their families are calling us for answers. What are we supposed to tell them?” he lamented.
Local resident Joseph Oluoch, also from Bangladesh, urged the county government to shut down the Tudor Water Sports facility until safety standards are reviewed. “The management must take responsibility. Lives have been lost due to carelessness,” he said.
Mombasa County Chief Fire Officer Ibrahim Basafar confirmed that the alarm was raised at around 5:30 pm after the boat capsized during the open water category.
“We immediately deployed rescue teams to the scene. We are still working with the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) and other agencies to recover the missing bodies,” he said.
County Executive for Lands and Urban Planning Hussein Mohammed said operations had been launched to locate the missing trio. “We are collaborating with marine experts and divers from various agencies. We have also reviewed the participants’ list to identify those unaccounted for,” he stated.
Following the tragedy, Mombasa County Commissioner Mohamed Noor ordered an immediate suspension of the event to allow recovery operations to continue uninterrupted.
More than 10 boats, including those from the Kenya Navy, have joined the ongoing search efforts.
The incident has sparked outrage among Mombasa residents and raised questions about the preparedness and professionalism of event organisers in maritime sports. Families of the missing participants have since camped near the Tudor shores, anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.
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