Losing brother in accident painful

Losing a brother in an accident is just painful, says Jone Delaikorovono. Mr Delaikoroivono’s younger brother, Jeremaia Vugakoto, died yesterday after the car he was driving collided with a minibus at the junction of Pakapaka Road in Nadi along the Queens Highway. “Now I have only four brothers after the death of Jeremaia.

“My mum is just so heartbroken by this,” Mr Delaikorovono said with tears. “We were drinking with relatives and our cousin, Isimeli, to farewell relatives from the village who came to visit us; it’s so heartbreaking that everything has to end this way.” Mr Vugakoto, 27, was driving a white vehicle registration number, EL 196, with his 20-year-old cousin, Isimeli Matavada, who is in critical condition at the Nadi Hospital.

“We were drinking when my brother and cousin decided to drive off in the car to look for firewood for the lovo (earth oven),” he said. “So my uncle and I decided to follow them to where they were going because we were worried that he (Vugakoto) was driving. Along the way we found them involved in a fatal accident.”

He said when they arrived at the scene the Police had already taken the bodies out of the mangled wreck. Mr Delaikoroivono said they had just moved into their family home in Malamala Settlement, Nadi, last year in December.

“The last time I spoke to Jeremaia was during the drinking party.

‘He was telling me that he was planning to buy a new car after harvesting his produce from his farm at our village in Vanua Levu. “He was a very good person and very soft spoken but his attitude changes when he is drunk, he gets rowdy.” Mr Vugakoto’s mother, Losalini Radininatewa, 47, could not speak as she was still distraught from the tragic news.

When the Fiji Sun arrived at the scene, Police were trying to clear away debris on the road from the white vehicle with their bare hands. Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro also confirmed yesterday that the driver of the minivan and passenger in the front seat of the other vehicle are admitted in hospital in serious condition.

Photo: Arieta Vakasukawaqa DEAD... Jeremaia Vugakoto. The early morning road accident scene at the junction of Pakapaka Road along the Queens Highway in Nadi on August 20, 2017. Full report >P3. Critical in hospital... Isimeli Matavada.

Photo: Arieta Vakasukawaqa Jone Delakorovono holds a photo of his late brother, Jeremaia Vugakoto with his mother Losalini Radininatewa at their family home in Malamala Settlement in Nadi on August 20, 2017.