Sniffer dogs to be deployed to locate body in rubble of demolished Mombasa building

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has confirmed that the county government is mobilizing all available resources to assist in retrieving a body believed to be trapped beneath the debris of a recently collapsed 11-storey building on Abdel Nasser Road.

In a statement released via his official X account on Friday, April 11, 2025, following a visit to the victim's family, Governor Nassir revealed that specially trained sniffer dogs from the Regional National Police Service have been deployed to bolster the ongoing search and recovery operation.

"This is an unimaginable pain, and as the County Government of Mombasa, we are deploying every resource necessary, including calling for specialised sniffer dogs from the Regional National Police Service to assist in the recovery of the body and ensure the family is able to lay their loved one to rest with dignity," he said.

Nassir expressed his heartfelt support to the bereaved family and assured them of his unwavering commitment to ensuring the body is found and the family attains closure.

"We stand in heartfelt solidarity with the family affected by the tragic collapse incident involving the unsafe building on Abdel Nasser Road before we made the bold decision to effect a controlled demolition," Nassir added.

"No loss is ever easy — but no family should face it without support. We are with you in this moment of sorrow, and we will not rest until closure is found."

On Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) carried out a controlled demolition of a structurally unsound building located on Abdel Nasser Road. The operation, executed with explosives, was completed by 1 pm.

This demolition brought to a close a tense chapter, during which local officials had issued repeated warnings about the building's potential collapse following a major structural failure.