Search operations for the wreckage of a car that plunged into the Indian Ocean together with its two occupants have entered its third day.
According to a statement by the Kenya Ferry Services Managing Director Bakari Gowa, efforts to recover and retrieve the car are currently underway and that ferry services have also been halted for a second day to allow the operations.
Government Spokesman Crus Oguna who was on Wednesday morning present at the scene revealed that the day’s main target is to locate the wreckage and to ensure that it is not swept away by strong currents deep down the sea.
While addressing the journalists, Oguna explained that they were going to use a robot to confirm the exact location of the car after which they will embark on steps to get the vehicle out of the sea.
Oguna cited the extreme darkness in the deep sea which he said was making it hard for the divers to locate the ill-fated vehicle.
KFS officials and Government Spokesperson Oguna at the Likoni channel as recovery operations continue
Posted by DAILY NATION on Tuesday, 1 October 2019
“The government is in full control of the operation. It is not an easy task to carry out such a delicate operation since we are also concerned about the diver’s safety. Below the depth of 70 meters, there are dangers associated with it because of the insufficient oxygen,” explained Oguna.
"It is not as easy as we would wish to think from a layman's point of view; strong waves & the pitch dark ocean bed hampered efforts to hasten the recovery exercise." -Gov't spokesperson Cyrus Oguna on #LikoniFerryTragedy pic.twitter.com/b5cRG1kTqm
— The African Voice (@teddyeugene) October 2, 2019
He assured the public that the government has enough equipment to carry out the operation at the same time expressing confidence that the operation will be successful.
We would like to inform our ferry users and the public at large that today from 9 am we anticipate to temporarily suspend ferry operations for two hours at the Likoni channel to pave way for the salvage teams operate an interrupted.
@kmakenya @kenya_ports— Kenya Ferry Services (@FerryKenya) October 2, 2019
On Tuesday evening, Bakari Gowa had confirmed that the location in which the car was suspected to be resting had been located.
“Search and rescue teams from Kenya Navy, KPA, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) and Private Contracted Divers have located the position of the vehicle wreckage. The recovery exercise is underway,” the statement read.
ONGOING SALVAGE OPERATIONS:
Search and rescue teams from Kenya Navy, KPA, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) and Private Contracted Divers have located the position of the vehicle wreckage. The recovery exercise is underway #FerryKenya #caraccidentrecovery pic.twitter.com/CKZc65k2lL— Kenya Ferry Services (@FerryKenya) October 1, 2019
On Monday, efforts to recover the bodies of Mariam Kigenda and her daughter Amanda who were in the car stalled due to lack of equipment. The location where the car plunged into was also said to be infested with sharks.
However, on Tuesday, search operations started officially with process said to have been party interrupted by the poor visibility due to the heavy rains that hit the area in the morning.