KDF recovers body of man who drowned at Chepkorio dam after six-day search

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel successfully retrieved the body of a middle-aged man who drowned at Chepkorio Dam in Ngeria, Uasin Gishu County, along the Eldoret-Nakuru highway.

According to a post shared on its official pages, KDF

The recovery, carried out on 13 September 2025, concluded a six-day search and rescue operation that had initially faced challenges due to the dam's 80-foot depth and treacherous underwater conditions.

Previous attempts by local divers and other agencies had been unsuccessful.

KDF subsequently deployed specialists from the Kenya Navy Clearance Diving Unit (KN CDU) and the 9th Battalion, Kenya Rifles (9 KR).

"To overcome these challenges, KDF deployed a specialized team equipped with advanced JJ Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) systems, which provided longer dive durations and extended search range beyond the limits of conventional SCUBA equipment," it reads on KDF's official website.

This technology, they say, enabled divers to conduct a more thorough search and ultimately locate the body within a much shorter timeframe.

Following the recovery, the remains were handed over to local police authorities for further procedures.

KDF extended its condolences to the family of the deceased, wishing them comfort and strength.

Online, Kenyans commended the force for the retrieval of the body whilst cautioning peers against swimming in dams.

"God bless Kenya Navy divers...I even lack words to describe them.... thanks for serving our nation," Abby Jeptoo wrote on Facebook.