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Over 60 Passengers escaped unhurt at the Likoni ferry channel early Thursday after a bus they were traveling in plunged into the Indian Ocean on the Mainland South.
The passengers who were aboard the Tanzania-bound bus owned by ‘Smart bus company’ were forced to alight before it crossed the ferry channel but immediately the driver lost control of the bus and drove straight into the Indian ocean as the MV Kwale waited at the ramp.
The accident caused a major traffic snarl up at the Likoni ferry channel for the whole day, as efforts were made to pull the bus out of the water.
Speaking at the Likoni ferry channel after the incident, Likoni OCPD Willy Simba confirmed that no injuries were reported during the incident since the driver of the bus also managed to escape by jumping out of the speeding bus.
“This was truly a miracle since passengers are always reluctant whenever we tell them to alight from their vehicles before crossing the channel. We would have lost many lives today,” warned the OCPD.
Simba warned all drivers and ferry users to be very careful during the rainy season since the docking areas may be slippery thus causing accidents.
“Everyone should be very careful so we can avoid such incidences during the rainy season. All Likoni ferry channel users should obey instructions given to them by ferry supervisors at the channel.
On his part, Kenya Ferry Services Communication Officer Gideon Mutiso confirmed that by 4 pm on Thursday, the Smart bus which plunged into the Indian Ocean at around 3am on Thursday had been removed from the Ocean.
The Likoni ferry Channel serves more than 300,000 passengers daily and more than 1,500 vehicles in a single day, and connect Mombasa to the entire South coast and the neighboring country Tanzania as well.
