16 Drowned

Shipping Disaster In Tonga

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Nukualofa, Mar. 3.

THE worst sea tragedy on record here happened on February 24. A sailing boat (Tongan owned) with 30 natives, comprising men, women and children, sailed from the island of Eua, for Kologa, a village on the eastern end of Tongatabu—a distance of 24 miles. The boat was overloaded, and a heavy sea was running.

A huge wave hit the boat amidship, and capsized her, when she was near the Hahake Coast, the island’s most treach erous place for boats. Sixteen men. wo men and children were drowned.

Rescue parties were sent out by the Government and Europeans, but a little too late, as fourteen of those still alive had been already washed ashore by the

huge rollers, well-known on that coast.

These survivors were hurried to the Gov ernment hospital. Some of them are not expected to live being terribly cut by the sharp coral reefs.

Native divers went out looking for the bodies of the drowned, but seven bodies only have been recovered so far.

Other information shows that when the cutter capsized (about noon) two of the young members of the party swam to the shore, to obtain assistance —a dis tance of six or seven miles. It was net until evening that the Government launch reached the place of the accident.

Meanwhile, the up-turned boat had been smashed against the reef. Fourteen people got ashore, but sixteen were drowned.

The place where the accident happened is a very treacherous part of the ocean, as several accidents of a similar nature have occurred there with loss of life.

Some very brave work was done by the two boys who swam for assistance. They stood on the reef, in a very heavy sea, helping others to land.

The photo. (by Hettig) shows the reef on the Hahake coast, where most of the 16 were drowned; in the distance, Eua Island; in foreground, Tongan swimmers, going out to search for the bodies.