Helicopter Traces Missing Truck Driver After 8 Days in Mara River

A missing truck driver was traced by a helicopter on Wednesday, May 8, and his body retrieved from Mara River.

According to preliminary reports, the driver was reported missing after floods swept away his truck. Rescue officers based in Mara launched a search operation within the Mara River.

However, Mara Elephant Project, a non-governmental organisation, deployed helicopter pilots, who traced him to Mara River.

With the help of local rescuers, the helicopter pinned the driver’s location on the River and retrieved the body. Marc Groose, a pilot from the Mara Elephant Project, led the search exercise for the missing truck driver.

After the body was retrieved, the pilot scaled up the search exercise for a colleague of the truck driver who was also reported missing.

On that fateful day, three men reportedly drowned, but one survived and was transferred to a nearby medical centre for attention.

However, the body of the missing driver was taken to Longisa mortuary for forensics as it had some missing parts. Further, two families claimed ownership of the body.

The rescue came a week after pilots from Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescued a tanker driver who was swept by flooding water along the Galana-Kulalu causeway on Wednesday, May 3.

The pilots pulled daring stunts to rescue the driver of a tanker which had tipped over and was on the verge of being swept into the flowing river.

After six hours of anxious wait, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rescued the driver.

Following instances of flooding, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) warned motorists to exercise caution while driving in flooded areas.

“KeNHA would like to notify motorists to take caution during rainy season due to incidents of flooding,” the authority stated.