Four people have been rescued while four others remain missing after a boat carrying eight people capsized in rough waters near Lamu.
Iftakhar Majid, manager of the Lamu County Emergency Operations Centre, confirmed the boat named Buraq capsized at 3 a.m. on Wednesday after strong winds and waves struck it near Sinda Kasi close to the Manda-Bruno channel.
The vessel had been traveling from Kiangwe in Boni Forest to Lamu Island carrying mangrove poles, timber and eight people when it encountered rough conditions. Reports reached the Kenya Coast Guard Service at 5 a.m. on Thursday and rescue operations began immediately.
By Thursday afternoon, joint teams including Kenya Red Cross aquadivers, Beach Management Unit officials and local fishermen continued the search. Strong winds forecast to exceed 46 km per hour are affecting the coast this week.