Ship safety in focus after second overboard incident

Lady Moana in Avatiu Harbour on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. The boat has been handed over to Taio Shipping while investigations continue into the disappearance of the 22-year-old Fijian man who fell overboard the vessel last weekend.
Photo: Cook Islands New

The Ministry of Transport is investigating the case of a 22-year-old Fijian crew member of the Lady Moana who fell overboard last weekend on the return journey from Mangaia.

John Hosking, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Transport, sent his condolences to the family, who held a private memorial service for Luke Vakayawa in Rarotonga on Friday.

Hosking stressed that all accidents involving ships in Cook Islands waters would be taken seriously.

“We are conducting an investigation into this death, parallel to the investigation by the lead police authority Cook Islands.”

Hosking said their investigation focused on the safety of the inter-island cargo ship and its operations.

“And we are looking for any lessons we can use to make our waters safer,” he said. “The department takes all accidents on board vessels in our waters seriously.”

Lady Moana is owned and operated by Taio Shipping Limited. This is the second incident involving this vessel where someone has fallen overboard. In September 2019, a seven-year-old boy disappeared while returning with his father from his family’s home island of Rakahanga.

On Monday, Taio Shipping said it was unable to comment at this time as investigations and search operations were ongoing.

Hosking added that the vessel was licensed by Transport Services Licensing (TSL) and that while the investigation was ongoing, the department could not comment further at this time.

The results will be announced in due course.

Trevor Pitt, media and strategy adviser to the Cook Islands Police, confirmed that the police investigation is also ongoing and the coroner’s file is not yet complete.

Pitt added that the Ministry of Transport had been informed of the release of the boat to Taio Shipping.

“The police were satisfied to have completed this part of their work on the vessel. However, the investigation is still ongoing.”

Vakayawa fell overboard the Lady Moana Cargo ship en route from Mangaia to Rarotonga during the night from Saturday to Sunday last week.

The police patrol boat Te Kukupa II joined the search after a distress call was received from the cargo ship early Sunday morning. The search conducted on Sunday and Monday was unsuccessful. The search was called off on Tuesday.

Vakayawa arrived in the Cook Islands in March 2023 and started working for the shipping company.

He was described as shy but was well respected by his family and the wider community. He was also a member of Friends of Fiji Inc. in Rarotonga.

-This article was originally published by News from the Cook Islands.