The search for victims of the Tudor Creek boat tragedy has come to an end after the recovery of the last two bodies early Monday morning. The incident involved the ill-fated MV Dragon, which capsized on Friday evening around 5:30 pm during the East African Ocean Festival in Mombasa.
According to reports, the bodies were discovered at around 1:30 am by members of the Old Town Beach Management Unit (BMU), who have been part of the multi-agency rescue and recovery team. The first body was found stuck in mangrove trees near the accident site, while the second was discovered near the Nyali Bridge, approximately two kilometers away, after being pushed by ocean currents.
Jomvu MP Badi Twalib, who has been camping at the scene since the tragedy struck, confirmed the recovery, noting that it was fortunate the body was found before crossing to the other side of the ocean. “If it had crossed, it would have been more difficult to find,” he said.
The recovery operation involved 17 boats from various agencies, including the Kenya Coast Guard Service, Kenya Navy, National Police Service, Kenya Forest Service, and BMU members.
The victims, all from the Bangladesh slums in Jomvu constituency, were part of the Kijiweni Youth Group, competing in the dragon boat race against teams such as Burhani and Tourist Police. Out of the 22 participants, 19 were rescued. The boat is believed to have capsized when participants stood up in excitement near the finishing line.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, Mvita MP Mohamed Machele, and County Transport Executive Dan Manyala have been visiting the scene and offering support to the affected families. All recovered bodies have been taken to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue for preservation as investigations continue.
