A German national, Wolfgang Borner (59) was found dead at sea in ‘Eua on 30 December, after he was reported missing on 28 December.

Salote Tonga of Tonga Police said that the deceased's body was discovered by a group of ‘Eua divers who were out fishing last Wednesday night, 30 December. They reported to the police they had found human remains, tied with a rope on the ankles to a rock on the seabed.

On 31 December, ‘Eua police divers visited the site and confirmed that the body was in an advanced state of decomposition. An immediate burial was ordered after the remains had been recovered, and examined by doctors at the Niu’eiki Hospital. The police were investigating his death, and a suicide had not been ruled out.

Salote said that earlier at 5:00pm on 28 December the ‘Eua Police was informed that Wolfgang had not been seen for four or five days.

Wolfgang who came from Berlin, Germany, had been living and working in ‘Eua during the past six years. He was employed by Sam Tatafu of Deep Blue Diving.

In addition to looking after the diving operation Wolfgang in his spare time built the ‘Ovava Tree Lodge, which was completed at the end of 2014.

During 2015 Wolfgang built a little catamaran, which he sailed from 'Eua to Nuku’alofa on 18 October 2015.

Matangi Tonga Online interviewed Wolfgang on 20 October about how he built the catamaran with thrown away scraps from the ‘Eua saw mill. It took him six months to build the catamaran, and though it was good enough for sailing around the Nuku’alofa Harbour, he was at the time planning to build a bigger catamaran so that he could said to Ha’apai and Vava’u. He said he and his girlfriend enjoyed sailing into the Nuku’alofa harbour. Wolfgang had turned 59 a day earlier, on 19 October 2015.