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A fisherman died in Soyosoyo village, Kilifi county, after being stung by a sea urchin.

The fisherman identified as Emmanuel Kiti Yawa, 32, passed away while recuperating from the bite in his house.

Neighbours say Yawa was attacked while fishing in the ocean waters off the Soyosoyo beach alongside his colleagues at the weekend.

According to Kiti Jembe, one of the fishermen who was with him at the time, Yawa was swept into the deep waters by a strong ocean wave during which he unknowingly stepped on the sea urchin.

“When we took off for fishing the weather was good but after a while, it changed and became rough. I saw my friend being swept away by a strong wave before landing on a rocky area surrounded by sea urchins,” he said.

Open door

He noted that the deceased began feeling unwell as they returned to the shore. After they finished selling their catch, they went to a nearby drinking den where Yawa noticed he had been stung several times on his left foot.

 “As I helped him remove the stings from his foot, he started complaining of high temperature and swelling so I instructed him to go home and take medicine,” he added.

Paul Kadenge, a neighbour, became suspicious after noticing the door to the deceased’s house open for hours on the fateful day, only to check and find his lifeless body sprawled on the bed.

“Initially I thought he had gone to work but I became suspicious after seeing the door open for hours,” said Kadenge.

A senior police officer who declined to be named confirmed the incident. The body was moved to the Kilifi County Referral morgue pending an autopsy.