Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has suspended all water sports activities in the county following the Tudor boat tragedy that left six people dead. The East African Ocean Festival organisers have issued a statement condoling the families and pledging full cooperation with ongoing investigations.
MOMBASA, Kenya, Oct 13 —Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has suspended all water sports activities across the county following the tragic boat accident that claimed six lives during the East African Ocean Festival at Tudor Channel.
The Governor said the suspension will remain in place until a comprehensive safety audit is conducted and new measures are implemented to ensure such an incident never happens again.
Flanked by his Deputy Francis Thoya, Nassir joined the multi-agency rescue and recovery team led by Colonel Mulumba and the County Disaster Management team under CECM Dan Manyala during the final day of the operation.
“Moving forward, no water sports event will take place in Mombasa until we establish a proper safety framework that protects every participant and spectator,” Nassir said, adding that his administration would work closely with the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS), Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), and the Kenya Navy to develop standard safety protocols.
The Governor further directed event organisers to seek clearance from the County Government and relevant maritime authorities before hosting any water-related activities.
“The loss of lives is unacceptable. We must take decisive action to restore public confidence in our coastal events,” he said.
Nassir also condoled with the families of the victims and commended the rescue teams, including the Kenya Navy, Coast Guard, County Disaster Unit, Kenya Red Cross, and community responders, for their dedication throughout the search and recovery operation, which officially ended after the bodies of the three missing persons were retrieved on Sunday night.
Meanwhile
In a separate statement, the East African Ocean Festival (TEAOF) organising committee expressed its condolences to the families of the three Kijiweni Youth Uplift Team members who died in the tragedy.
The organisers also appreciated the Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard Service, and other multi-agency responders for their tireless efforts in the rescue and recovery operation.
TEAOF clarified that the County Government of Mombasa, which was among its partners, had scaled down its sponsorship six days before the event due to budgetary and procurement constraints but continued to offer logistical and security support during the festival.
“We welcome the inquiry led by the Kenya Coast Guard Service and other relevant agencies and will fully cooperate to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the process,” the committee said.
The organisers led by Hamis Mwaguya added that the safety and well-being of all participants had always been a top priority and pledged to implement any safety recommendations that will arise from the inquiry report.
Contextual
The tragedy occurred on Saturday, October 5, during the dragon boat race at Tudor Water Sports, when one of the boats capsized mid-competition. 19 participants were rescued while three others were reported missing until their bodies were recovered four days later.
The victims were identified as Caleb Otieno (21), Stephen Karembo (23), and Thomas Wanyonyi (24) — all members of the Kijiweni Youth Uplift Team from Mombasa. The incident has sparked a wider discussion about maritime safety, emergency preparedness, and event regulation in Kenya’s coastal region.
