The MV Manui, a three-tones cargo vessel rolled over on its side at the Nafanua Harbour, 'Eua at mid-day yesterday, 11 April.

Foster Masi, a Ministry of Finance supervisor at 'Ohonua who oversees the operation of Nafanua Harbour, told Matangi Tonga this morning that a workman was trying to load on board the Manui a 2-tones excavator when the boat became imbalanced and rolled on its side. The captain and the driver of the excavator fled the boat and swam ashore.

A spokesperson from the Marine Division of the Ministry of Transport, Nuku'alofa said that the cargo vessel, MV Manui is owned by a registered Tongan company, though the vessel is better known as "Hughie and Dennis's" boat.

The MV Manui has been contracted by the Tonga Forest Product Ltd to transport logs from its pine forest at 'Eua to be milled in Tongatapu, an operation that started about two months ago.

It is understood that the excavator belongs to a private contractor, but it had been contracted by a Chinese company for road construction at 'Eua, and it was on its way back to Tongatapu.