Kilifi: 4 Kenyan Fishermen Who Went Missing During Deep Sea Fishing Rescued After 27 Days

• The Kenya Coast Guard Services (KCGS) confirms that the fishermen who went missing in the Indian Ocean have been located and will be reunited with their families soon
• They were four, with one drowning; the group was on a deep-sea fishing expedition when the water currents dislocated their vessel
• KCGS revealed the men were rescued by a foreign ship en route to Sri Lanka; the Kenyan authorities sent a vessel to pick them up

The families of three out of four fishermen who disappeared in the Indian Ocean will finally reunite with them after close to a month.

They had embarked on a deep-sea fishing expedition on November 30 when their vessel labelled Jodari got carried away by the currents.

How did Kenyan authorities locate missing fishermen?

The men were rescued by Chinese fishermen; one of them drowned.

Acting on leads from the quartet's kin, the Kenya Coast Guard Services (KCGS) began the efforts to locate them.

"Upon receiving the overdue report, KCGS swiftly activated a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation, which spanned seven days. The families of the missing fishermen were visited, and assurances of their safe return were provided. Collaborative efforts with various stakeholders intensified throughout the SAR period," said the agency.

KGCS established that the fishermen's vessel was swept by the water curr,ents leading to their loss of the bearing.

The efforts to establish their location succeeded after the agency discovered they had been rescued by a Chinese vessel.

"Through the utilisation of robust Maritime Domain Awareness and strategic engagements with key stakeholders, KCGS confirmed the location of the four missing fishermen. They were rescued in the High Seas by a foreign fishing vessel after being swept by strong winds and currents," said KCGS.

A local vessel would then be deployed to fetch the surviving trio and reunite them with their families and friends.

The crew caught up with the rescuers with whom they engaged before relocating the men to their vessel.

According to the KCGS, the rescuers had covered 475 kilometres away from the Mombasa Port.

The return ship is expected to dock at the Kenyan coast no later than December 28, 2023.

"The vessel successfully completed the recovery mission at 1245hrs today after rendezvousing with the foreign fishing vessel, located 256 nautical miles from the Port of Mombasa. The vessel is enroute back to Mombasa with an expected arrival time of 0900hrs on 28 December 2023," KCGS said.

Others involved in the mission were the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers, the National Police Service, the County Government of Kilifi, and local Beach Management Units (BMUs).

Unforeseen journey to Sri Lanka

As earlier reported, the men had risked being taken to Sri Lanka where the rescuer ship was supposed to dock.

The foreigners' vessel was also on a fishing sojourn when they stumbled on the quartet's capsizing boat.

They would reunite with their families in February 2024, after the ship docks in Sri Lanka.

"We found four people in a capsised boat, we have them on board but they will not be repatriated until the vessel docks in Sir Lanka," the rescuers said.

The KCGS operatives reported the men missing on December 13, confirming the surviving trio were with the foreign rescuers.

"KCGS conducted SAR operations and, through Maritime Domain Awareness, confirmed the rescue of three fishermen by a foreign Fishing Vessel at sea. Sadly, one fisherman lost his life," the agency said.