A fishing boat in the Indian Ocean.
Two bodies have been recovered in the Indian Ocean and another is missing after three church members drowned while swimming in Lamu’s Shella Beach.
The three had been reported missing on Sunday evening.
They were part of a group of about 30 youths from a church in Hongwe in Mpeketoni Division of Lamu West, who had visited Lamu Island for a social Sunday retreat when tragedy struck.
Lamu County Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Manager Iftakhar Majid told Nation.Africa on Monday, a search operation had been launched on Sunday evening shortly after receiving a distress call from a good Samaritan.
The operation was postponed after darkness fell and resumed on Monday morning when two bodies of a male and a female were recovered within the Shella beach.
Mr Majid said a search for the other missing body is ongoing.
Tourists, visitors and locals at Shella Beach in Lamu County on January 1, 2023.
The search and recovery operation is being undertaken by the EOC team in collaboration with the Kenya Coast Guard Services (KCGS), the Kenya Red Cross Society, local divers among other partners.
“On Sunday, April 13, 2025, at around 6.30pm, the Emergency Operation Centre received a distress call from a good Samaritan reporting that a group of youths were swimming at Shella beach. Three of them were pulled by the rough waters to the deep end and disappeared at around 5.30pm,” said Mr Majid.
“The rapid response team was activated immediately, and a search operation commenced for the missing three. Because of the rough sea, accompanied with strong tidal waves, we had to postpone the operation. Darkness had also fallen. We came back today, Monday, and went on with the operation.”
Two of three bodies found
Mr Majid said at around 7.30am, the operation recovered two bodies along the shores of Shella.
“The bodies of the deceased were taken to Lamu County Referral Hospital for temporary holding. The operation is still ongoing in search of the third body. More updates to follow. The EOC urges members of the public to exercise extreme caution while plying business or pleasure across the ocean,” said Mr Majid.
Shella is among Lamu’s beaches where revelers have been cautioned to be extremely keen while swimming. This is because Shella encompasses Mlango wa Shella, one of Lamu’s killer channels found across the archipelago.
These channels are found in areas considered deepest in the Indian Ocean in the region.
Tourists, visitors and locals enjoy themselves by swimming at Shella Beach in Lamu County on January 1, 2023.
They are always characterized by immensely rough currents accompanied by strong waves.
Other killer channels in the Lamu Indian Ocean are Mkanda, Manda Bruno and Mlango wa Kipungani (all in Lamu West Sub-County), Mlango wa Tanu in Mkokoni, Mlango wa Ali in Kiwayu, and Mlango wa Bomani in Kiunga, all in Lamu East Sub-County.
In July 2018, a Lamu Polytechnic student, Juma Mohamed, died by drowning while swimming at Shella Beach.
In November 2018, A young man drowned in the Indian Ocean while swimming with friends at Lamu’s Shella channel within Shella Beach.
Joseph Kitsao, 25, had accompanied his friends for a swimming expedition when they were overpowered by rough tides and drowned.
His colleagues were rescued by local divers who were within Shella Beach.
