MH Reporter
A man has died after he was attacked by a marauding hippopotamus near Lwanda beach in Suba North constituency, Homa Bay county.
The Wednesday morning attack left a second person, also a fisherman, with serious injuries to his body.
Fisherman Janes Okombo and his colleague Gilbert Abich were venturing into the lake in a canoe at around 5am when they encountered the hippo.
Reports indicate that the two came face to face with the charged hippo – in the dark waters of the lake.
The hippo hit their boat sinking it – and leaving the two at the mercy of the beast.
The hippo is said to have grabbed Okombo as he tried to swim to safety – killing him on the spot.
The second fisherman, according to Citizen Digital, sustained bite injuries following the attack.
“The two fishermen were left helpless after the hippo crashed their boat,” said the Homa Bay County Beach Management Network Chairman Edward Oremo.
A team comprising Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Coast Guard Service officials, fishermen and residents camped at the lake shore to begin retrieving the body of the killed fisherman.
Meanwhile, the injured fisherman was rushed to Mbita Sub-county hospital before being referred to Homa Bay County Referral Hospital.