An unidentified man committed suicide on Sunday by jumping off a moving ferry into the Indian Ocean at the Likoni crossing channel.
Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) Managing Director, Bakari Gowa, said that the incident took place at 1.00 am on Sunday when the ferry was moving from the South Coast to the mainland.
Gowa said that the man seemed to be mentally ill.
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Eyewitnesses said the man seemed to be talking to himself as he sat the hind prow and minutes later, he jumped off the vessel, MV Harambee, into the ocean.
“A middle-aged man who seemed not in his right state mind, on board the ferry which was cruising from the mainland to the Island, ran towards the hind prow dived and plunged into the waters,” said Mr Gowa.
By Sunday afternoon KFS divers were still searching for the body whose identity has not yet been established.
“Our recovery team is on the ground, working closely with the maritime police for the possible sighting and recovery of the body,” he said.
Gowa said divers were unable to save the man because of the darkness and harsh undercurrent waves. The matter was reported at the Ferry police station.
This is the second incident in a span of one month after another middle-aged man was rescued from drowning in the Indian Ocean in attempted suicide this month.
More than 300,000 passengers and over 6,000 vehicles use the Likoni Channel every day.
