Two people have been confirmed to have drowned last week in Vava’u.

Deputy Police Commissioner Tevita Vailea said today, a 17-year-old boy drowned after falling into the sea Vaipua at around after 4:00pm on January 24.

His body was swept away by the currents and was not found until later that night, he said.

An inquest confirmed that he drowned.

Meanwhile, on January 28 a 30-year-old woman was reported to have also drowned in the sea near Taoa.

She went out fishing with two others when the incident occurred and she was swept away.

An inquest confirmed that the cause of death was drowning, he said.

These are the first two drowning deaths for 2022 so far in Tonga.