An operation to retrieve the body of Grade Two pupil who was killed by a crocodile in Lake Victoria turned tragic when one of the men on the mission drowned.
Local fishermen at Gode Ariyo Beach in Gembe Village, Kayanja Sub-Location in Suba North, Homa Bay County were called in on Sunday to help in the search of the body of the minor who was attacked by a crocodile.
The fishermen had no idea that they would be retrieving two bodies from the water.
It all started on a calm Sunday morning when Kennedy Onyango aged 9 was on the shores of the lake washing his clothes.
The God Nyasumbi Primary School pupil was accompanied by his friends and classmates who were also doing their daily chores near the lake.
At mid-morning, Onyango was attacked by a crocodile that was hiding in the water.
Witnesses said the reptile grabbed the minor and pulled him into the water. That was the last time he was seen.
According to County Beach Management Units Networks Chairman Edward Oremo, local fishermen immediately started a mission to rescue the minor from the crocodile’s jaws.
One fisherman, who was identified as Mr Anthony Odila, was using his boat to search for the body of the minor when tragedy struck a second time.
The 23-year-old man is said to have accidently slid off his boat and fell into the water and drowned.
“He was trying to paddle the boat to return back to the shore. It is not clear how he fell off the boat,” said Mr Oremo.
Other fishermen who were still in their boats now had to look for two bodies.
Mr Oremo said the body of the fisherman was found on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, the search for the minor’s body was called off due to darkness and rainfall.
Mr Oremo called on the government to help in the search for the missing body.
Homa Bay Directorate of Criminal Investigations Boss Daniel Wachira said the body of the minor had not been found by Monday morning.
Fishermen are now calling on the Kenya Wild life Service to erect barriers around the lake to control the movement of crocodiles and other harmful water creatures.
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