Alarm over foreign ship near beach

Kwale County Government and hoteliers in South Coast have expressed concern over the presence of a ship alleged to be dredging underwater material near Diwani Beach.

In an interview with The Standard in Diani Monday, Kwale County Executive for Tourism and ICT Adan Sheikh said his office had received reports of the presence of the ship.

''Our beaches have a fragile marine eco-system that includes the coral reef that is a key attraction for deep sea divers,'' he said.

A volunteer pilot flew over the vessel and took pictures to enable Kenyan authorities take appropriate action against the crew and ship owners. The ship flying a Mongolian flag turned up at the reef off the award winning Diani Beach and started dredging sand from the spot last Friday.

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) management denied any knowledge of the vessel's presence in Kenyan waters. Industry players compared the illegal activity to poaching of wildlife.