Three injured in Lamu boat accident  

Three passengers were injured in a boat accident at Tustiri area at the Wiyoni Beach in Lamu County on Saturday.

The boat’s engine flywheel detached itself from its shaft and injured the three.

A flywheel is a heavy disk or wheel rotating on a shaft and builds up momentum as the boat’s engine gains power.

FRACTURED ARM

Among those seriously injured were the boat’s coxswain who suffered a fractured arm and a female passenger who sustained chest and rib injuries. The third person suffered slight injuries.

The injured were rushed to the King Fahd Referral Hospital in Lamu town.

Lamu Boat Operators Association Chairman Hassan Awadh said the boat, which had nine passengers on board, was headed to Lamu town from the Mokowe Jetty at the time of the accident.

Mr Athman Musa, a boat captain on Lamu Island, advised boat operators to ensure their vessels are serviced regularly to avoid accidents.

SERVICED

“Our boats need to be inspected and regularly serviced to avoid accidents. I believe the flywheel would not have detached itself from the shaft if proper servicing had been done. We need to ensure our boats are in proper condition before and after travelling," said Mr Musa.

Lamu has over 5,000 boats operating on the numerous islands in the archipelago.

The Lamu branch of the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and the office of the Lamu County Commissioner have, on many occasions, asked boat operators to ensure they comply with maritime safety rules.    

KMA has also insisted on the need for boat operators and owners to ensure their vessels are duly registered and well maintained.