Nine Injured as Passenger Bus Plunges into Indian Ocean (Video)

On the morning of October 6, 2024, residents of Likoni experienced panic when a passenger bus plunged into the Indian Ocean while attempting to board a ferry. The bus was traveling from Ukunda to Nairobi when the incident occurred. Witnesses reported that the bus lost control and overturned as it approached the ferry.

According to a Kenya Red Cross officer who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke, nine passengers sustained injuries during the incident. Fortunately, the Red Cross rescuers were already on-site, enabling a swift response. “We have people on site, and the bus has been retrieved from the water. We have received reports that approximately nine people were injured while inside the bus,” the officer stated. Thankfully, no fatalities have been reported, and the situation is being closely monitored for any updates.

Images and videos from the scene showed the orange bus partially submerged and on its side, with rescue operations underway. It remains unclear how many passengers were inside the bus at the time of the plunge, but reports confirm that nine individuals were rescued.

This incident follows another accident less than 24 hours earlier when a truck nearly collided with passengers at the Likoni Ferry crossing channel, subsequently plunging into the ocean. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in that case; however, the truck caused significant traffic delays due to its location blocking a crucial area of the channel.

The bus plunge echoes a similar incident from three years ago, when a tourist bus slipped into the ocean after experiencing brake failure. In that case, the passengers had disembarked to facilitate ferry access, leaving the driver and his assistant trapped inside the sinking bus and requiring rescue.

The dangers associated with the Likoni crossing channel were highlighted again in August 2024 when a stampede injured four people. The incident was triggered by passengers’ impatience after the MV Jambo, a large ferry, stalled for hours, leaving many stranded.

The Likoni Ferry channel is one of East Africa’s busiest, with an estimated 300,000 people and 6,000 vehicles crossing daily. The ferry service, operational since 1937, connects Mombasa Island to the mainland side of Likoni across the Kilindini Harbour.