- A rogue hippopotamus killed a 48-year-old fisherman during a night fishing trip at Ombogo Beach in Homa Bay county
- Three other fishermen survived the unexpected attack, with one sustaining fractures and currently receiving medical attention at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital
- Local leaders and residents are urging the government and the Kenya Wildlife Service to boost patrols and control hippo populations to prevent further tragedies
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Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya
Homa Bay: A peaceful night of fishing on Lake Victoria turned into a nightmare when a rogue hippo attacked at Ombogo Beach, killing one fisherman and leaving three others fighting for survival.
How were Homa Bay men attacked by hippo?
Charles Agutu,48, died on the spot and three others survived after a hippopotamus attacked them during a night fishing expedition on Lake Victoria on Wednesday, April 24.
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The animal struck their boat, injuring 52-year-old Fred Nyamori and prompting the other two to escape by climbing a tree along the shore.
Speaking to TUKO.co.ke Ombogo Beach Management Unit (BMU) chairperson Jared Odhiambo said the hippo charged at the boat, overturning it and pulling Agutu into the water, where he was fatally mauled. Nyamori sustained fractures and is currently receiving treatment.
“Nyamori has been moved to Homa-Bay County Referral Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment while the body of the deceased is preserved at the same hospital morgue,” Odhiambo noted.
Rangwe Sub-county BMU chairperson Douglas Ndong’a has urged the government to invest in patrol and rescue boats to enhance safety for fishermen operating on Lake Victoria.
Local fishermen and residents are also appealing to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to implement measures to control the growing number of aggressive hippos, which they say are increasingly threatening lives along the lakeshore.
Hippo kills fisherman in Nakuru
In a related incident, residents of Kihoto, Naivasha, were mourning the tragic death of local fisherman Francis Mwathi Maina, who was killed by a hippopotamus while allegedly fleeing from coast guard officers.
Fellow fishermen, armed with drums and sticks, risked their lives by venturing deep into the lake to recover Maina’s body.
They were later joined by officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the police to assist with the retrieval.
Maina had left home as usual to provide for his family, armed only with a fishing rod and hook. James Muriuki, a fellow fisherman, described the harrowing events, saying they had just set their traps when the coast guard appeared, causing them to flee in fear of arrest.
Sadly, Maina’s attempt to escape led him directly into the path of the fatal hippo.
Emma Robi, a fisherwoman on Lake Naivasha, expressed her distress and called for government intervention to assist the community.
Meanwhile, Beatrice Kerubo, Maina’s wife, struggled to cope with the grief as she recalled her final interaction with her deceased husband.
Kerubo said she had been waiting for her husband to return home with supper, only to be informed that he had passed away.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
