After two weeks drifting at sea
TWO adults and a six-year-old child have rescued by a fishing vessel this week south-east of Honiara afterdrifting at sea for two weeks.
The three are from Malau Paina, Three Sisters Island,in Makira/Ulawa Province.
A Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources compliance officer told the Solomon Star thetrio were rescued by a purse seine fishing vessel FV Hanara, which was fishing within the country’s waters.
Following the rescue, FV Hanara, which is still on its fishing trip, called its sister vessel Joon Discover (a Korean Purse Seine) to transport the survivors to Honiara.
The officer said Joon Discover was on its way to Honiara to do its transhipment when it picked up the three people from FV Hanara.
“I could not confirm when the rescue was made.
“However, the three arrived safely in Honiara on Wednesday.
“By the time we reached the vessel, they were already transported to Honiara,” the fisheries officer told the Solomon Star.
The officer said the account of the rescue mission was relayed to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources by captain and crew of Joon Discover.
A close relative told the Solomon Star that the trio were travelling back to their village after a shopping trip to Kirakira a fortnight ago.
She said inside the boat were food items for their families and an esky filled with ice cubes for a planned fishing trip.
“Usually, if one boat makes a trip to Kirakira, it is a family tradition to do shopping for all villagers.
“So we believe that for the two weeks, they have been surviving on the food they bought at Kirakira and the esky might be used to store drinking water,” the relative said.
Photographs taken at the time of the rescue showed that the trio were healthy and well.
Meanwhile, an officer from the Police Media Unit also confirmed receiving reports of the fortunate sighting and rescue.
The trio are believed to be reunited with their families in Honiara.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
