The body of a ship's engineer, Vai Vuetibula Pogiono (24), from Ono i Lau, Fiji, has been identified after being found washed up on the western foreshore of Queen Salote Wharf on Saturday morning, February 9.

The Assistant Police Commander and Officer in Charge of Crime and Operations, 'Unga Fa'aoa, confirmed the identity of Vai today, after the deceased's father flew over from Fiji yesterday.

'Unga said that a breakthrough in their investigation came after he made a public appeal on Television Tonga on Sunday, February 10 for any information regarding this man.

"We received a very swift response from the public and got a lead that traced us to a Fijian barge vessel that came to Tonga on February 6 on a mission to refill the US Navy vessel USS Reuben Jamesthat was in Nuku'alofa last weekend," 'Unga said.

"After tracing back to the vessel we confirmed that their Chief Engineer Vai did not return with the vessel when they departed Tonga on the night of Thursday February 7."

'Unga said that a first mate on the vessel told the police that he last saw Vai when he got off at the Queen Salote Wharf and no one saw him on board again so they returned to Fiji without him, but they reported the matter to the Tonga Immigration authority.

'Unga said the first mate who accompanied the father to Tonga yesterday, had identified the clothing he last saw Vai wearing and the father and the first mate confirmed the body to be Vai, but due to the bad condition of the body when it was found Dr Siale 'Akau‘ola said they could not determine the cause of death.

Funeral

The Police arranged for the body to be buried in Tonga at the Telekava Cemetary. He was then laid to rest last night attended by the local Fijian community.

'Unga thanked the public for all their help and speedy response in helping with the investigation to identify the deceased.

"We encourage people that if they do know of anyone missing to please report it to the nearest police station because it might either save their lives or enable us to recover them quickly."

Ono 'i Lau is the closest island of the Lau group of islands to Tonga.