Fear Grips Makueni Village as Crocodile Horror at Athi River Leaves Two Feared Dead
Panic has swept through a village in Makueni County after a horrifying crocodile attack at the notorious Athi River left two people feared dead, including a young man who reportedly jumped into the water in a desperate rescue attempt.
The terrifying incident unfolded on the evening of May 19 in Yekanga Sub-location, Mavindini Ward, when a 35-year-old woman was allegedly ambushed by a crocodile while fetching water at Nzeveni Kwa Letu.
Witnesses said the reptile suddenly emerged from the river and dragged the screaming woman beneath the murky waters before shocked residents could react.
Moments later, tragedy struck again when a 20-year-old man reportedly attempted to rescue the woman but was also attacked and pulled into the river.
Residents raised the alarm as scenes of panic and confusion erupted along the riverbank, with villagers gathering in disbelief as emergency teams were mobilised.
The Kenya Red Cross Society confirmed that its Makueni response unit had been activated following distress calls from local residents.
Search and recovery operations resumed early Wednesday morning, with rescue teams combing sections of the Athi River in an effort to locate the missing victims.
Officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service joined the operation alongside local administrators and residents amid growing fears of further attacks.
Authorities have since warned residents against accessing dangerous sections of the river as efforts intensify to prevent another tragedy.
The incident has reignited fears among communities living near the Athi River, where residents regularly fetch water, wash clothes, and carry out daily activities despite the lurking danger posed by crocodiles.
Local emergency teams said this is the first reported crocodile attack along the river this year, but concerns remain high following a series of deadly encounters in recent years.
According to officials, more than three people reportedly lost their lives in crocodile attacks linked to the same river last year, raising fresh questions over safety measures for communities living near crocodile-infested waters.
The latest attack is part of a growing pattern of human-wildlife conflict cases reported across the country. Earlier this year in Turkana County, wildlife officers killed a crocodile following repeated attacks on residents, with experts linking the rise in crocodile sightings to increased water levels in major rivers and lakes.
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