2 children among 14 people missing at sea in Solomons

Women and two children are among 14 people reported missing at sea in the Solomon Islands.

 The travelers left Gizo on Saturday destined for Shortland Islands on a ray boat when they encountered strong winds on their way.

Sibere Tauroa from Taro Police who is supervising a search operation for the missing boat, said two of the passengers are a nine year old and a four year old child.

Mr Tauroa told SIBC News the boat along with another boat left Gizo and travelled alongside each other destined for the Shortland Islands.

“On their way, almost reaching the Shortland Islands they met very strong winds, the two boats then somehow separated and the other boat that was powered by the twin 40 engine managed to navigate and landed safely in Taro, yesterday (Sunday), ” Mr Tauroa said.

He said a mobile phone belonging to one of the passengers in the missing boat was called, it rang but no one answered it.

On attempts to track the whereabouts of the phone, they alerted Our Telekom and were informed that the phone was detected within the Sasamunga or within south Choiseul range of Telekom’s mobile network.

“Villages along Sasamunga and south Choiseul were notified of any sightings of the boat or floating objects since Police received the report, but until now, there is still no sighting of anything,” Mr Tauroa said.

He said Police in south Choiseul attempted a search yesterday but weather did not permit them.

Tauroa said if the weather permits, they will conduct a search again for the missing boat.

 

Photo source SIBC