Seven bodies found in Hell’s Gate after flash flood

Seven bodies have been recovered after a tour group was swept away by a flash flood in a Kenyan national park.

The incident at Hell’s Gate National Park involved five Kenyan nationals, a local tour guide and a “foreigner”.

All of the missing have been found and the search and rescue operation has been called off.

The park, which is about 100km (60 miles) north-west of the capital, Nairobi, remains closed.

The seven dead were part of a 13-strong group that was visiting the park.

The group became trapped in one of the gorges when flash flooding swept through the area.

One survivor, Ivraj Singh Hayer, said his wife, cousin, his cousin’s wife, a niece and a nephew all died.

After the incident, which happened during heavy rains, two survivors from the group reportedly alerted park rangers who sent out a search party and a helicopter.

Hell’s Gate, named after a narrow break in its cliffs, was once the tributary of a prehistoric lake and its downhill gorges are prone to flooding.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which manages the park, said tourists were usually always accompanied by guides who were trained to detect storm water flowing downstream towards the gorge.

In 2012, seven people died in similar flooding at Hell’s Gate, which is frequented by hikers and campers.

The park is the site of spectacular scenery and it inspired the hit Disney animation film The Lion King. The 2003 film Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life was also filmed there.