NAIROBI, May 27 (NNN-KBC) — 108 Tanzanian fishermen who had strayed into the country’s waters are under investigations by members of the Kenya Coast Guard Service.
The fishermen who were aboard 23 boats, claimed that they drifted within Kenyan territory due to bad weather before washing up at the Kilifi shorelines.
The fishermen were found with a total of 23 boats scattered in Wesa, Watamu, Malindi, Ngomeni and Kipini areas in Kilifi County.
According to Lieutenant Commander Glen Majanga of the Kenya Coast Guard Service, the Tanzanians, who say they were from Pemba Island which is part of Tanzania’s Zanzibar archipelago, will be questioned before they are repatriated back to their country.
Kenya Coast Guard Service has launched investigations to establish whether their fishing vessels were operating within Kenyan territorial waters before the weather conditions worsened.
Most of the fishermen were in good health despite being weak but two of them were taken to hospital due to fatigue and seasickness.
The distraught fishermen said they set sail from Pemba on a fishing trip earlier in the week before strong winds and poor visibility hit their ill-fated sea expedition.
Last week the Kenya Coast Guards seized two Chinese fishing vessels illegally operating within Kenya’s territorial waters. — NNN-KBC
