The Kenya Navy has rescued 41 people after a cargo dhow began taking on water off the Shimoni coast, in an operation officials say demonstrates the Service’s readiness to respond swiftly to maritime emergencies.
According to a statement from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), personnel from the Shimoni Special Boats Unit (SBU) carried out the rescue after receiving a distress alert relayed through the Shimoni Beach Management Unit from the captain of the cargo dhow SIRI YA MAFANIKIO. The vessel, sailing from Shimoni to Pemba, had begun taking on water approximately 1.5 nautical miles off Mpunguti ya Juu Island.
“Kenya Navy personnel from the Shimoni Special Boats Unit (SBU) successfully rescued 41 people during a Search and Rescue operation,” KDF said in the statement.
The rescue team deployed a patrol boat to the scene, where all 41 occupants, comprising 11 crew members and 30 passengers of both Kenyan and Tanzanian nationality, were safely evacuated. The distressed vessel was subsequently towed to Shimoni Port.
One person sustained minor injuries during the incident and was taken to Qatar Medical Centre in Shimoni for treatment, while the rest of those rescued were accounted for and unharmed.
The Kenya Coast Guard Service, which works alongside the Navy in maritime emergencies, is also understood to have been involved in the response, underscoring the coordination between the two agencies in safeguarding lives along the coastline.
KDF said the successful rescue reaffirms the Navy’s commitment to protecting seafarers and coastal communities through rapid response, operational preparedness and close collaboration with maritime stakeholders. The Service continues to enhance its capacity to respond promptly to distress calls at sea, an area of growing importance given the volume of vessel traffic between Kenya’s south coast and neighbouring Tanzania.
The incident adds to a string of recent maritime emergencies along the Kenya-Tanzania coastal route, highlighting the risks posed by rough seas and ageing vessels operating in the channel, and reinforcing calls for stricter safety checks on boats plying the busy Shimoni-Pemba corridor.
