One person drowned and another is feared dead after a hippopotamus attacked a canoe carrying 18 farmers and children across the Tana River in Hola, Tana River County.
The incident occurred at about 9am on Tuesday at Mikinduni Village, Mikinduni Location, as the group was crossing the river towards the Ijara direction.
According to police, the canoe capsized after the passengers were attacked by a hippopotamus.
Sixteen people were rescued following the incident, but an infant drowned while another passenger remains missing.
The deceased was a one-year-eight-month-old girl.
Police said the body was recovered and taken to the mortuary at Hola County Referral Hospital pending a postmortem examination.
A Form Three student at Chanani Secondary School, was also in the canoe and is suspected to have drowned. Her body had not been recovered by the time of the police report.
Police visited the scene and commenced investigations, while efforts to recover the missing student continued.
And police in Sabatia, Vihiga County, are investigating the death of a 55-year-old man whose body was found floating in River Lidumbu.
The body of Francis Mbogani was discovered on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, police said.
Police officers visited the scene at Hamayundi Sub-location, within West Maragoli Location.
The officers established that the body was that of Mbogani, a resident of the area.
Preliminary information indicated that the deceased had been seen by other road users on Monday evening appearing to be drunk.
Police said the body had no visible physical injuries apart from bite marks around the mouth and both eyes, which were believed to have been caused by crabs in the river.
The scene was processed and documented before the body was retrieved from the river and moved to the Vihiga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary for preservation pending a postmortem examination.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Mbogani’s death
