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Tanzanian brothers drown while fishing at Kenyan coast

Thursday October 10 2019
watamu

Fishermen go about their business in Watamu, Kilifi County, in 2013. Two Tanzanians died during a fishing expedition in Watamu, in coastal Kenya, on October 9, 2019. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By Charles Lwanga

Two Tanzanian fishermen drowned on Wednesday when their boat capsized in the Indian Ocean while on a fishing expedition at Watamu in Kilifi County, southern Kenya.

Watamu Beach Management Unit (BMU) chairman Hosman Mwambire said local fishermen rescued two other fishermen in the Wednesday morning incident.

Speaking to the press in Watamu, Mr Mwambire identified the two brothers as Mr Nasoor Hamad Said and Mr Said Hamad Said.

“They drowned after their boat was hit by heavy tides following a storm at the Watamu creek,” he said.

Mr Mwambire said had authorities been quick to respond and the BMU had rescue equipment, the deaths could have been avoided as the scene of accident was about 500 metres from the beach.

“We lack rescue equipment despite five members of my team having undergone a rescue training course, and they had to risk their lives using shaky boats to assist their colleagues,” he said.

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The BMU chairman said the two brothers were buried at the Watamu Muslim cemetery according to Muslim religious practice and tradition.

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