What was supposed to be a normal fishing trip turned disastrous when two children of the three who went on a Friday fishing trip failed to return home alive.
The sad incident happened in the Baegu Asifola electorate in Malaita Province on Friday afternoon last week when the dugout canoe the trio were travelling onboard sank just before reaching the mainland.
Information reaching Solomon Star Auki claimed that only one of the three swam to safety while the other two; a boy and a girl aged 9-13, failed to make it alive.
This paper was told that they were caught in an afternoon rain and strong wind on their way back home.
The one who swam to safety rushed back home and alerted the parents of the missing boy and girl.
The missing boy and girl were first cousins, while the one who made it alive is their second cousin.
A search was carried out by the immediate family members and relatives for the two missing children on Friday afternoon until dark, but they could not locate the position of the two lifeless bodies.
They then continued with the search throughout the night until they located the two lifeless bodies just before 12 am on Saturday morning.
The incident shocked those in the Baegu Asifola electorate as it was the first time that such a drowning incident happened in the electorate involving two children.
Information reaching this paper claimed the trio were fishing on a usual fishing spot where the family usually conducted their fishing activity.
Knowing a storm was approaching, they tried to rush back to the mainland to safety with their catches.
Unfortunately, the storm caught up with them just before they could reach the shore and sank the dugout canoe they were traveling onboard.
The two deceased were laid to rest on Saturday afternoon after they were pulled out from the seafloor on Friday night.
By WILSON SAENI
in Auki
