A hippopotamus attack turned a routine river crossing into tragedy after a canoe carrying 18 farmers and children capsized in Tana River, leaving a one-year-old girl dead and a Form Three student missing.

The incident occurred on Tuesday at Mikinduni Village in the Mikinduni Location, as the group crossed the river towards the Ijara direction.

Police said the canoe capsized after a hippopotamus attacked the passengers.

Sixteen people were rescued, but the one-year-and-eight-month-old girl drowned while another passenger remained missing.

Police said the child’s 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 Thursday.

Police visited the scene and launched investigations as efforts to locate the missing student continued.

Hippo attacks are common in the area, with residents calling for action to tame the animals.

Meanwhile, a two-year-old girl drowned in Lake Victoria in Migori County, with her body later found floating along the lakeshore at Aloma Beach.

The child was discovered on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

Police officers from Karungu Police Station visited the scene, where they photographed and processed the area.

The circumstances surrounding the child’s drowning had not been established, and police launched investigations.

The body was later moved to St Camillus Mortuary pending further investigations and necessary procedures.

In Sabatia, Vihiga County, police 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, at Hamayundi Sub-location in West Maragoli Location.

Police officers who visited the scene established that the body was that of Mbogani, a resident of the area.

Preliminary information indicated that Mbogani 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 believed to have been caused by crabs in the river.

The scene was processed and documented before the body was retrieved and taken to the Vihiga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary for preservation pending a postmortem examination.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Mbogani’s death.