Up to 23 people feared dead in Kenya boat collision

Up to 23 people feared dead in Kenya boat collision

2012-01-03 08:44:28 GMT+7 (ICT)

LAMU, KENYA (BNO NEWS) -- At least seven people have been killed and more than a dozen others remain missing after two boats collided off a southeastern Kenyan island on Sunday evening, causing one of them to sink, officials said on Monday.

The accident happened off the island of Lamu at approximately 8.57 p.m. local time on Sunday when the ferry boat NV Safina, which was carrying 82 people, collided with an oil carrier ferrying oil drums between Mokowe and Lamu Island. The collision caused the ferry to capsize.

A spokesperson for the Kenya Red Cross Society said seven people were confirmed to have been killed as of Monday, while at least sixteen and possibly more passengers remain missing. The spokesperson said a total of 25 people were rescued by Red Cross rescue teams, while 23 managed to swim ashore. Fifteen were admitted to Kingfahd hospital.

"Search and rescue operations by the Kenya Red Cross rescue teams and Kenya Police is still underway," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The team has been joined by the Kenya Red Cross Mombasa and Malindi Branches."

Regional officials said it was difficult to determine exactly how many people were missing because there was no official passenger list. Some of the passengers were also believed to have swam to safety and continued to their destinations through other forms of transportation without informing authorities.

Retired Kenyan Navy Major General Seif Sheyumbe noted that the NV Safina had a capacity of just 50 people, meaning the boat was overloaded when the accident happened. However, it was not immediately clear what caused the accident and if overloading was a factor.

Lamu Island is a popular tourist attraction and a huge number of nationals flock to the island every year for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

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