Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka took time this afternoon to visit the six health professionals who were lost at sea in Lau for more than 30 hours.
The six are receiving medical treatment at Twomey Hospital in Tamavua after being flown from Lakeba to Suva on Friday.
According to the Ministry of Health, the team departed Moce Island at 7am on Wednesday bound for Oneata and was expected to arrive about two hours later.
After they failed to arrive as scheduled, the district nurse in Oneata contacted the Lakeba Sub-Divisional Hospital, prompting search and rescue efforts.
The Ministry says the boat handler was found on Thursday morning and told rescuers that after the engine failed, the vessel began taking on water.
The medical team removed the wooden floorboards from the boat to use as flotation devices while wearing their life jackets.
In an effort to get mobile phone reception, the boat handler swam towards Aiwa Island, leaving the rest of the medical team together and safe in the water.
The six healthcare workers were eventually rescued on Thursday night by the captain and crew of Lomaiviti Princess 12.
