The humanitarian community is in mourning after the death of volunteer Kenya Red Cross Society aqua rescue member Samuel Wanyonyi Wangila, who died while participating in a search and rescue mission in Nairobi.
The organisation confirmed that Wangila was part of a rescue team searching for a child who had been swept away by flash floods when the accident occurred. He was reportedly electrocuted while the team was still conducting the search operation.
According to the Red Cross, the tragedy happened as rescuers worked to recover the child’s body from floodwaters at Highrise area along Mbagathi River. The organisation blamed the incident on illegal power connections.
In a tribute, the humanitarian agency described the incident as a painful loss to the rescue community. The organisation said Wangila had made a major contribution through his years of volunteer service.
“The Kenya Red Cross Society is deeply saddened by the passing of our dedicated aqua rescue volunteer Samuel Wanyonyi Wangila, who lost his life in the line of duty on March 3. For over 15 years, Samuel served across the country with courage, professionalism and an extraordinary commitment to saving lives. He was among the most experienced and dependable aqua rescue volunteers,” the organisation said in its statement.
In 2025, Wangila received the Special recognition Award at the Volunteer Awards for his work. He was also known for training and mentoring other aqua rescue volunteers,as well as helping strengthen emergency response capacity within the organisation.
