Vili Vaea Makineti is the 22-year-old man who drowned at sea in Tungua, Ha’apai on Saturday, April 29.

Police reported that around 8:00am, Vili was helping other fishermen fetch a fishing boat anchored at sea. He disappeared while swimming back to shore.

 A search party discovered his body washed up on shore a few hours later, she said.

This is the first drowning recorded this year in Tonga.