Kenyan police officers carry the recovered corpse of a man on their boat
By NATION REPORTER, posted January 2, 2012
Nine people drowned on Sunday evening and 15 people reported missing in a boat collision in Yiyoni, Lamu Island.
The boat which had 82 passengers on board collided with a vessel ferrying oil drums between Mokowe and Lamu Island.
"We can confirm that there were nine fatalities, 25 were rescued, 23 swam to shore while 15 are still missing," Kenya Red Cross spokesperson Nelly Mulluka told Xinhua on Monday.
"The rescue teams are searching for more survivors into the night. The boat was leaving the island to the Mainland when it hit the other vessel," Mulluka said.
Kenya Red Cross Coast Regional chairman, Mr Abdallah Mohammed said the ill-fated boat was transporting Mombasa bound passengers from Lamu Island to Mokowe where they would board a bus.
The survivors were taken to a local hospital for treatment and some are expected to be discharged soon.
"We have received 15 survivors who are in stable condition and will be discharged soon," Muhiddin Rnuein of Kingfahd Hospital in Lamu.
Kenya Navy and the Kenya Red Cross teams are conducting search and rescue operations.
"We are continuing the search for survivors, and have taken 12 people to hospital where they are recovering after their boat was capsized by high waves in the dark of Sunday evening," regional police chief Aggrey Adoli told AFP.
