Minor’s body retrieved from Machakos dam

The body belonging to a sixteen-year-old boy has been retrieved from a dam in Matungulu, Machakos County.

The minor’s body was on Tuesday retrieved from Kwa Savano dam in Sengani area. The joint operations included police officers, a team from Machakos County Government’s emergency services department, local divers and public.  

It was retrieved after a long search that took more than fifteen hours since the boy drowned while it is said he drowned at around 2 pm on Monday.

Matungulu subcounty police commander Peter Omondi said the deceased was in company of four others when he drowned.

“Five boys went to swim in a dam within Sengani area and on coming out, they realised that one of them was missing.

"They raised alarm attracting locals who later informed the police. Our officers moved to the scene and together with local divers launched a search on the fifth boy,” Omondi said.

Omondi said the children were all between twelve and seventeen years. The body was removed and taken to Kangundo Level 4 hospital awaiting an autopsy.

The search operations were suspended on Monday evening due to the darkness at night. The search was successful early Tuesday after the body was retrieved.

Tala chief Francis Mulinge said the children were said to have been competing to swim across the dam when the minor drowned.

“Among the five children were one of the deceased’s cousins who unsuccessfully tried to rescue him before giving up.

"The cousin ran home to report the incident but when their kins together with other locals got to the dam, they didn’t see the deceased since he had drowned,” Mulinge told reporters.

Mulinge said the rescue mission started at around 2.00pm on Monday.

He said the dam belonging to Machakos County Government was recently desilted hence deep and filled with water.

“I warn children from swimming in these dams alongside other water bodies around. Let parents be responsible and monitor their children’s movements especially this time when schools have closed for holidays,” Mulinge said.