What was planned to be a day of fun and action during the East Africa Ocean Festival at Tudor Water Sports in Mombasa turned tragic after a boat with 22 participants capsized on Friday, October 10, 2025.

In a statement issued by the Kenya Red Cross after the accident, 19 people were rescued and rushed to the nearby facilities, while three remained missing.

Speaking to the press on Saturday, October 11, 2025, one of the survivors decried the slow response from the rescue team.

Marvon Mejole narrated that the people struggled for several minutes before they got help. However, the help was not sufficient. According to Mejole, only two rescue boats were deployed with one ring floater to help pull over 22 people from the ocean waters.

“Response was very slow; we struggled a lot before we got help. By the time they reached where we were, there were only two boats, and there was only one ring floater that was thrown to help save us,” Mejole stated.

No safety protocols

Another participant pointed an accusing finger at the event organisers, faulting them for failing to put in place proper safety protocols. Ishmael Onyango, a member of the Kijiweni Uplifters team from the Bangladesh area in Mombasa, noted that they did not have life jackets during the competition.

“None of us had life jackets on during the race. We received an invitation to participate in the dragon boat race and had been practising since Monday. We used life jackets during training, but on the event day, only one team had them. We were almost at the finish line when our boat capsized. Everything happened so fast,” he explained.

Multi-agency team deployed

Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sherrif Nassir, who visited the site on Saturday, October 11, 2025, confirmed that a multi-agency team had been deployed to help find the missing three.

“We have four boats from the Navy, we have a boat from the Kenya Coast Guard, we have a boat from the Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Forest Services, Kenya Wildlife Services and equally the county government of Mombasa,” the governor stated.

“Multi-agency recovery operations at Tudor Creek continue under Kenya Navy coordination. The County Government of Mombasa is providing logistical, medical & communication support through our Fire & Rescue teams, Red Cross, and Community 911. We stand with the affected families,” Nassir further updated on his social media pages.

As the families continue to demand answers, the Kenya Red Cross has also set up a desk in the area.