Boat with 22 passengers capsizes in Mombasa during a festival
By Kiprono Keileb, October 10, 2025A boat carrying 22 passengers capsized on Friday, October 10, 2025, during the East Africa Ocean Festival at Tudor Water Sports in Mombasa, leaving three people missing.
In a statement, the Kenya Red Cross said that 19 passengers were successfully rescued after the boat overturned during the event, which had drawn hundreds of spectators and participants to celebrate the region’s maritime culture.
“A boat carrying 22 passengers capsized during the East Africa Ocean Festival at Tudor Water Sports. So far, 19 people have been rescued, while 3 remain missing. Search and Rescue operations are ongoing, with a multi-agency team actively responding to locate the missing persons,” the statement read.
The festive mood at Tudor turned into panic as emergency teams rushed to save lives.
The Kenya Red Cross said the search operation remains active, with divers working under challenging conditions due to strong tides and fading light.
The East Africa Ocean Festival, a regional event celebrating marine tourism, water sports, and environmental conservation, was ongoing when the tragedy struck. People from all over East Africa saw the festival as a major boost to coastal tourism.
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