Coastal search continues for Litani Taufa on eastern Tongatapu [1]
Thursday, April 25, 2019 - 14:36. Updated on Thursday, April 25, 2019 - 14:37.
Litani Taufa, who went missing at sea on Tuesday morning, has not been located, Tonga Police reported at 1:00pm today. A Search and Rescue operation is continuing along the eastern Tongatapu coastline, where the body of Captain Sam Tatafu and their overturned boat was located early yesterday.
The missing man, was the manager of the Ovava Tree Lodge at ‘Eua, owned by the Tatafu family. He was an experienced diver and marine tour guide.
Heavy seas today are preventing a search of the outer reef area.
Acting Deputy Commissioner ‘Atunaisa Taumoepeau told Matangi Tonga that police units from the Eastern District of Tongatapu were continuing to search the coastline, but they could not reach the outer reef.
“No vessel can go out there today because it is very rough.”
Taufa had been missing for 48 hours this morning, he said. “The last signal we had from the boat was at 6:50am on Tuesday.” This was when Sam Tatafu called his wife.
The men had left ‘Eua in “3 Boys”, an 8 metre long close haul aluminum boat, at around 6:00am on Tuesday April 23 and were reported missing at 12:30pm after they failed to arrive in Nuku'alofa. It is understood they were following the domestic ferry from ‘Eua, and had left about 16 minutes behind.
AD Commissioner Taumoepeau said it was likely that they never made it halfway from ‘Eua and he had a strong feeling that their boat had overturned.
“On Tuesday night we requested the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre to provide drift models, which proved very accurate.”
Early on Wednesday morning a Real Tonga flight along the eastern coast of Tongatapu, located the boat and a body on the Tu'aliku beach north from the Lapaha Road turnoff. A New Zealand B3 Orion also flew over at 8:00 am to assist.
“It is likely the boat came in on the high tide and we found the body [Tatafu] about 200m away,”
AD Commissioner Taumoepeau said the sea conditions were so rough that even an experienced swimmer would find it hard to get over the reefs in the area, which is known for its strong currents and turbulent seas.