Three Kenyan fishermen who went missing for 22 days after their outboard engine boat malfunctioned while on a fishing expedition were rescued alive.
The three were received by the Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy, Mr. Salim Mvurya on Thursday at the Mbaraki Wharf, in Mombasa after arriving on board.
Hanseey Baraka Kilian, Akida Idd Mohamed, and Fahad Ali Mohamed we lucky to be alive and were taken to the Mombasa Hospital for further medical checkup and counseling.
However,their families and relatives of the victims who had gone to receive them, were not allowed to meet them by the authorities claiming they needed counselling before reuniting with them.
Mvurya praises the Kenya Coast Guard Service personnel’s involvement in the rescue mission.
“I want to confirm to Kenyans that we have officially received the three fishermen who were rescued after going missing for 22 days, however, we’re still hoping that we will find the one who is still missing alive,” said Mvurya.
He added that the rescue operation was successful due to the cooperation and support they received from different security arms.
The Kenya Coast Guard Director General, Mr. Bruno Shioso said that they are committed to ensuring that they operate in a modern force and they will be looking at enhancing capabilities in search and rescue operations.
”We now see the importance of acquiring additional vessels to bolster our operations. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these fishermen including the one missing, ‘he added.
Ms. Lilian Mapenzi Karisa the mother to Hanseey Baraka Kilian thanked the Kenyan Government, the master of the Chinese fishing vessel for saving his son from the jaws of death.
She also praised the Malindi Member of Parliament, Honorable Amina Mnyazi for having taken up the matter with the national government which organized for their repatriation back home from the Chinese vessel.
” Hanseey is my first-born son. He was staying away from us in Malindi and I did not know where he was a fisherman It is only after the incident that happened I got to know what he was fishing for a living,” Lilian said.
IAN BYRON