Drifters safe

The 10 passengers on a fibre glass boat that left Qarani, Gau, at 4:30am yesterday, have arrived safely to shore after being adrift for more than 10 hours.

The group was on their way to Suva for a celebration of the "Lamiti Day", to fundraise for village developments.

Speaking to Fijivillage, one of the survivors, 40-year old Livai Bainivalu, said the main reason why the group drifted, was because of the fog, which led to the driver not being able to find his way through the passage at Toberua.

After several attempts to find Viti Levu, the group ran out of fuel and started drifting towards Kadavu but was lucky enough to have their mobile phones that helped them communicate with their relatives ashore.

Bainivalu added they also made contact with the other two fibres from their village, who managed to find the group after the third attempt.

The group was again struck by a dilemma on the way ashore, as they again ran out of fuel, before they reached Nukui in Rewa.

They bought fuel from Nukui and then travelled to the Vatuwaqa bridge, where upon arrival most of their family members were already waiting for them.