Susana
Suisuiki Pacific Waves presenter
Four people
remain missing after a boat carrying 14 passengers capsized
in rough seas in Papua New Guinea’s East New Britain
province on Saturday afternoon. It is the second
maritime accident in the province in two
months.
One person has died and nine people have been
rescued following the incident.
East New Britain
Provincial Police Commander Amanda Kates told Pacific
Waves the boat left Kokopo Beach and was heading to the
Duke of York Island on Saturday when huge swells overturned
the vessel.
The boat was licensed to carry eight
people but had 14 passengers on board. Not only was the boat
overloaded, but it also went to sea despite weather warnings
being issued before the group left Kokopo.
Search and
rescue operations were launched on Sunday morning, with the
Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary deploying its police
patrol vessel, Manning.
Kates said one of those
brought to safety was a man who spent the night keeping two
children afloat.
“The man was absolutely physically
exhausted because he held up the 11-year-old and the little
baby all night, trying to keep their heads above
water.”
“He was just an absolute hero,” Kates told
Pacific Waves.
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The search and rescue operation
is continuing for the four people still missing.
The
incident comes as the Pacific responds to the sinking
of the MV Matui in Vanuatu, where dozens of people were
reported missing.
But Kates said she does not believe
the East New Britain incident points to a wider boat safety
problem.
She said larger vessels in the province
comply with maritime safety regulations, while the main
issue is the reliance on small boats for travel between the
outlying islands and Kokopo.
Kates said a better
inter-island transport system was needed.
“Banana
boats between Kokopo and the Duke of Yorks is not the safest
way to travel on a regular basis,” she said.
“We need
a ferry, and we need a reliable transport
system.”
Kates said the province has experienced
unusually strong winds and large swells in recent months,
making travel by small boats particularly
challenging.
She said authorities would continue
monitoring the coastline and asking other vessels to keep
watch for the missing
passengers.
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