NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 14 – Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel have successfully recovered the body of a middle-aged man who drowned at Chepkorio Dam in Ngeria, Uasin Gishu County, along the Eldoret–Nakuru highway.
The recovery operation, conducted on September 13, brought to an end a six-day search that had earlier proven unsuccessful.
According to KDF, initial efforts by other agencies and local divers were hampered by the dam’s 80-foot depth and difficult underwater conditions.
“Earlier attempts by other agencies and local divers had been unsuccessful due to the dam’s 80-foot depth and difficult underwater conditions,” KDF said Sunday.
The Kenya Navy Clearance Diving Unit (KN CDU), working alongside the 9th Battalion, Kenya Rifles (9 KR), was subsequently deployed to the scene.
To overcome the challenging conditions, the specialized KDF team used advanced JJ Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) systems, which allow for longer dive durations and an extended search range beyond the limits of conventional SCUBA equipment.
This capability enabled the divers to locate and recover the body within a shorter time frame.
The remains were handed over to local police for further procedures.
KDF praised the operation as a demonstration of its personnel’s professionalism, technical expertise, and commitment to humanitarian service, noting that such missions shows the Force’s broader role in supporting national resilience and emergency operations.
The military further expressed condolences to the family of the deceased.