Two survive tragedy at sea

TWO men swam all Sunday and throughout the night until dawn on Monday in the Mamanuca Group, clinging to a piece of wreckage, in an attempt to get help after the 35-feet Nadibased launch, Ratu Don, was wrecked on a reef 10 miles north-west of Qalito Island.

was told the story by one of three survivors plucked from the sea on Monday after an extensive search for seven men who sailed from Nadi in the launch on Saturday, October 19, 1968.

He is Manasa Taulele, 39, married with six children. He was from Viwa Island in the Yasawas, but lived in Namotomoto Village, Nadi.

Mr Taulele was recovering at the Lautoka Hospital with his two fellow survivors when they were interviewed. Their story appeared in of October, 23, 1968.

The other two survivors were Raman, 50, government supplies officer at Nadi airport and Henry Gangaiya (s/o Polaiya), 40, married with nine children.

Raman, a brother of Mr J Madhavan, M.L.C., was not fit enough to be interviewed.

The body of another man was removed on Monday, during the search, tied to a piece of the wreckage. He was Subramani of the P.W.D. Namaka.

Three other men are still missing. They are Robert Sinclair, John Knowles and the launch’s owner Mani Lala (s/o Dev Chand), proprietor of Morris and Company, Nadi.

Mr Taulele said the launch, with his six companions, left Vuda Point on Saturday afternoon and was struck by a strong wave while fishing near Qalito Island at about 9 p.m.

“The wind became very strong and waves started tossing the boat toward the reef and we put three small anchors and started the engine to keep us away,” he said.

But the boat continued to drift near the reef. The craft struck the reef, capsized and all seven men were washed overboard. They all clung to the sides.

“Mani Lal was on the sea-swept side and a large wave washed him away and he was not seen again,” Mr Taulele told

“Later, Subramani and John Knowles disappeared.”

Only three were left by Sunday morning. Mr Taulele and Mr Sinclair decided to leave Raman alone on the wreck and swim for help.

“We left the boat and swam with a plank all Sunday and Sunday night until dawn (Monday morning),” Mr Taulele continued.

Mr Sinclair said they decided to break the plank and swim separate ways to make the swimming to safety much faster.

“So he swam away from me and that was the last I saw of him,” said Mr Taulele.

Mr Taulele was rescued shortly before 1 p.m. on Monday by a search and rescue craft from Qalito’s Castaway Resort Hotel.

In an interview, Mr Gangaiya, said he found Subramani floating dead in the water on Sunday morning and tied his body to a plank with some wire.

On Saturday night, Mr Gangaiya said he had to fight for his life when an anchor rope wrapped itself around his neck and threatened to choke him as high seas washed him from the wreck.

With his companion’s dead body beside him, Mr Gangaiya drifted all Sunday and through the night until he was washed up on a reef on Monday morning.

He spotted an aircraft and waived at it using a piece of wooden plank. Twenty minutes later a boat arrived to pick him and his companion’s body up.

Mr Gangaiya said he saw a small craft searching the area on Monday morning, but he was too weak to call or attract attention. Mani Lal was washed away as he tried to reach the sheltered side of the wreckage after the launch hit the reef.