Kenya Recovers First Body From Eastleigh Tower Wreckage, 16 Still Missing

The first victim was pulled Friday from the remains of an 18-story commercial building in Eastleigh that fell one week earlier, leaving 16 people still listed as missing. The body of a woman was recovered severely damaged, crushed by the concrete and steel of the structure, which had been under construction before it collapsed last Friday. Authorities have deployed thermal imaging technology to scan the site, and officials reported that the equipment detected two people beneath the debris.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building lacked the required construction approvals. He also stated that renting out completed units on the ground floor and basement levels was illegal because regulations require buildings to undergo inspection and obtain an occupancy certificate before people move in. Four people were rescued from the site shortly after the collapse and have since described their time trapped under the fallen structure. No other survivors have been extracted since Saturday.

Relatives of the missing have camped at the collapse site for the past week, waiting for word. Some began losing hope after the 72-hour window following the collapse passed, saying they doubted anyone could survive three days beneath the rubble. Search teams continue to work the site as the count of the missing stands at 16.

The recovery operation has drawn on assistance from outside Kenya, including the thermal imaging equipment provided by a Chinese team earlier this week. Authorities have not released the identity of the woman recovered Friday.