A multi-agency team is searching for a Form 4 student who went missing in Mt Longonot in Naivasha on Thursday afternoon. A section is on fire.
The 17-year-old from Nyahururu Elite Secondary school went missing in unclear circumstances during a candidates' team-building exercise ahead of the KCSE exam.
This came as a section of the world-renowned park went up in flames, destroying many acres and displacing hundreds of animals before it was contained.
On Thursday morning, 26 Form 4 students and 10 teachers arrived in the park in the morning for a hike.
One student became restless, rushed into a thicket and disappeared as other students watched in horror.
Naivasha deputy county commissioner Mutua Kisilu said that the incident was reported to KWS officers who moved in and mounted a search.
He said that the search was called off around 8pm and resumed on Friday morning though the student had not been found by midday.
“On Thursday morning, a secondary school student from Nyahururu went missing during a tour of Mt Longonot and a multi-agency team led by KWS is currently searching for him,” he said.
Mutua said that the fire had been contained by KWS officers and members of the public and had nothing to do with the missing student.
“There was a fire outbreak in a section of the park on Thursday afternoon but by Friday morning it had been put out,” he said.
KWS in a statement said more than 40ha hectares of bushland had been destroyed before an emergency team was dispatched to the area.
The government agency further added that there was no volcanic eruption in the mountain as alleged in the social media.
“There was no volcanic eruption in the mountain as reported on some media platforms and we assure members of the public the park is safe,” the statement read.
(Edited by V. Graham)
