By: Problyn J. Alpha
A birthday celebration in Kenema turned tragic on Friday, 15 May 2026, after at least six young people drowned at Kailondo Beach along the Moa River, leaving residents of the Kpayama Section in deep mourning.
According to the Sierra Leone Police Media–East, a cloud of grief has engulfed the Kpayama community following the heartbreaking incident, which claimed the lives of six youths during a swimming outing organized as part of a birthday celebration.
The victims have been identified as Messie Wongo, Mamie Sellu, Mary Sannoh, Mamie Sillah, Joshua Orando Musa, and Foday Wai, all residents of No. 3 Q-Line, off Foya Street, in the Kpayama Section of Kenema. Police say the outing was organized in honour of one of the deceased, Joshua Orando Musa, who had reportedly travelled from Makeni to celebrate with friends.
Preliminary investigations suggest the tragedy began when Messie Wongo reportedly struggled in the water. To rescue her, the others entered the river one after another, despite allegedly lacking swimming skills, and were eventually overwhelmed by the strong current.
A team of police officers later visited the scene, but the remains had not yet been recovered at the time of their arrival. Sources disclosed that by Saturday, authorities had recovered the bodies and released them to their respective families from the Kenema Government Hospital mortuary following postmortem examinations.
The incident has left residents and family members in shock, with mourners gathering along the riverbank and within the community as recovery efforts continued. Police say investigations are ongoing and further updates will be provided as recovery operations progress.
Residents note that drowning incidents at beaches and rivers remain a serious but often underreported threat in Sierra Leone, largely due to limited water‑safety awareness and inadequate emergency response measures at recreational sites.