British tourists targeted in Kenyan grenade attacks

Two British tourists have been targeted in a grenade attack in the coastal city of Mombasa as Kenya country celebrates Independence Day
Two British tourists have been targeted in a grenade attack in the coastal city of Mombasa as Kenya country celebrates Independence Day

An unknown attacker targeted British tourists in a grenade attack in Kenya this morning, but the explosives failed to explode.

Security was strengthened in the coastal city of Mombasa after the grenade was hurled at a minibus carrying two Britons as it drove through the Likoni area, local police said.

The grenade struck the vehicle's window but bounced off before landing on the ground without exploding, in a rare attack specifically targeting travellers in Kenya.

Robert Kitur, police chief for the port city, told AFP: 'The grenade was detonated safely by experts.

'We are investigating the incident and looking for the man who threw the grenade at the tourists and fled.'

The Foreign Office said it was urgently looking into the reports that a number of British travellers had escaped the attack near Mombasa after the grenade failed to explode.

Police told the Kenyan-based Standard Digital that the van, which was headed to Mombasa from Diani in Kwale with two British tourists on board, was slowing down as the assailant flung a grenade at it.

'He vanished soon after he hurled the explosive,' Chief Kitur told Standard Digital.

After the Russian-made explosive failed to explode the driver of the minivan sped to a nearby police station and reported the attack.

Police subsequently attended the scene, cordoned off the are and detonated the device in a controlled explosion.

The attack came as Kenya is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its independence. Celebrations began last night as nationals marked half a century of freedom from British colonialist rule.

A spokesman for th