Musa the diver back in search mission for bodies of victims of ferry tragedy
A private diver who was suspended by government on Wednesday from participating in the search for the bodies of victims of the ferry tragedy at Likoni Channel has been allowed back on the mission.
According to sources who spoke to Nairobi News the multi-agency team complained that the said private diver by the name Musa was interfering with the exercise.
Kenya Ferry Services have banned Musa from stepping near the rescue operations. Musa is the guy who located the drown vehicle yesterday and revealed that there are more than 10 vehicles submerged and rotting. Shame on you KFS & Kenya Navy. #LikoniFerryTragedy #BoycottMashujaaDay pic.twitter.com/xyIYHUSkse
— Daniel Omondi ?? (@omondii_) October 2, 2019
According to Haki Africa Executive Director, Hussein Khalid, who was at the Likoni Channel when the said diver was banned from the operation says it took the intervention of Kenya Ferry Services Chairman Danson Mwazo.
“They were suspended yesterday (Wednesday) but are on the ground today (Thursday). We have agreed the private divers will continue with their search and the Kenya Navy will do the same. These private divers have vest knowledge of the Likoni Channel and are mostly likely to locate the vehicle faster,” said Khalid.
Khalid noted that the Kenya Ferry Services had gone against all the Maritime requirement in operating a ferry.
On Wednesday, Government Spokesperson retired Col (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna said the multi-agency rescue team was using a robot to locate the vehicle after identifying 14 spots where it could be.
SUNKEN VEHICLE
He added that poor visibility under the water has made it hard for the divers to locate the exact location of the vehicle.
“The divers are not relying on their vision, they are relying on touch and based on that touch they can be able to interpret if what they are touching is a vehicle. The robots direct them where to touch and go,” said Oguna.
On Tuesday, the Managing Director of Kenya Ferry Services, Bakari Gowa, told reporters they had located the vehicle.
But the private divers have claimed that there are more than 10 vehicle submerged under the water, making it hard for the rescue team to single out the exact vehicle with the bodies of the two victim who plunged into the Indian Ocean on Sunday evening.
Mariam Kidenga, 35, and her four-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu plunged into the Indian Ocean on Sunday on board their vehicle which slid off the MV Harambee ferry at the Likoni Channel.