5 Keralites Killed in Tragic Bus Accident in Kenya

In a heartbreaking incident, five people from Kerala lost their lives and many others were injured after a tourist bus met with an accident in the Nyandarua region of central Kenya on Monday. The victims were part of a 28-member group of Indian nationals based in Qatar, who had gone on an Eid holiday trip. The group included 14 people from Kerala, while the rest were from Karnataka and Goa.

The accident happened when the bus, which was heading to Nyahururu town (around 200 km from Nairobi), skidded on a rain-soaked road, hit a tree, and overturned. The group was on its way to stay at Panari Hotel. The bus crash claimed the lives of Riya Ann (41) and her 7-year-old daughter, Tyra Rodrigues, from Mannur in Palakkad; Jasna Kuttikkattuchalil (29) and her 18-month-old daughter, Roohie Mehrin, from Thoyakkavu in Thrissur; and Geetha Shoji Isaac (58) from Cherukol near Mavelikkara.

Riya’s husband, Joel, who works in the travel industry in Qatar, and their 14-year-old son, Travis, were critically injured in the accident. Riya was an airport employee. The family had planned this holiday to spend quality time together. Geetha Shoji Isaac, who was also employed in Qatar, was travelling with her husband, Shoji Isaac, and their youngest son, Abel. Both Shoji and Abel were seriously injured and are being treated at the Nyahururu General Hospital. Abel has a compound fracture and will require surgery. Tragically, Shoji is yet to be informed of his wife’s death.

Back home in Kerala, families and local communities are in deep sorrow. Hussain Shafeek A, a ward member from Mannur and a family friend, said the victims' bodies are currently in a government facility in Kenya, waiting to be brought back to India. Geetha’s elder son, Shoji, said that after hearing about the accident, their family searched online and continuously made calls to find contacts at the hospital, and they were finally able to reach Abel.

The deaths of Jasna and her baby, Roohie, have left their family and the residents of Thoyakkavu in grief. Ward member Poornima Mohan said that Jasna’s husband, Haneefa, also suffered injuries in the accident. She mentioned that the family used to live abroad but had strong ties to their hometown, and their relatives have been informed of the tragedy.

Thrissur District Collector Arjun Pandiyan said the district administration is coordinating with NORKA (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) to get more information and assist with arrangements. However, there is no confirmation yet on when the bodies will be brought back to Kerala.

The Indian Embassy in Qatar confirmed the deaths on Tuesday evening through a statement on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle. The embassy stated that it is working closely with the High Commission of India in Nairobi to support the injured and help the grieving families. “As per available information, five Indian nationals have lost their lives. Officials from HCI Nairobi are on the ground and extending all assistance,” the statement read.

This tragic accident has shocked the Indian community in Qatar and Kerala, turning what was supposed to be a joyful Eid vacation into a devastating nightmare.