Kenya Navy medics offer aid to foreigners stuck at sea for 22 days

A medical team from the Kenya Navy Hospital attended to eight Comorians at the Malindi sub county hospital following a boat accident.

Led by Major (Dr) Charles Dulo, the team attended to the survivors of a boat wreck that occurred at the deep sea off Watamu.

According to the Kenya Defence Forces statement released on Tuesday, 15 Comorians from Nzyani Island were on board a small boat when the vessel developed engine problems and started capsizing.

The foreigners were headed to Mayotte Island when the incident occurred.

"The crew were stuck at sea for 22 days unfortunately losing seven sailors," the KDF said in the statement.

"The eight survivors were rescued by local fishermen from Watamu area, taken to Malindi sub county and received medical care from the Kenya Navy medical team."

This comes barely a month after the Kenya Navy Special Boat Unit (SBU) team rescued a crew of seven from a capsizing boat headed to Kismayu, Somalia.

In a statement via Twitter, the KDF said the team found the boat flooding and the engine was off.

"We immediately embarked on saving the crew before the boat capsized,” Lt Irungu said.

While expressing gratitude, the boat Chief Engineer Swaleh Lamazani emphasized the good relationship and cooperation accorded to them by the Kenya Navy service personnel.