Three Men Missing In Fiji

Storms

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva Feb. 16.

THREE casualties resulted from the storm which swept Viti Levu early this month. All were Fijians.

Four punts left Navua, on the southern coast of Viti Levu, for the island of Beqa, early on the morning of February 4.

Distributed among the four vessels were nine men, including Ratu Kepueli Tavu anavesi, Buli Beqa.

All went well until the first punt, in which were the buli and four others, capsized near the Beqa reef. The buli, an elderly man, was taken aboard an other punt which contained only two men, Osea Vakurivalu and Ilimotau.

Just as the first punt was righted the storm broke and a high gale swept down between Viti Levu and Beqa. The punt to which the buli had transferred was carried far to the east; another, which contained two men, Sekaia Tui and Sakaia Tui, disappeared so far with out trace of men or boat being found.

The others went ashore safely at Beqa.

The storm-driven punt ultimately went ashore at Wakaya island, in the Koro Sea, 100 miles away. Somewhere past south-eastern Viti Levu the craft cap sized at the height of the storm, and it was then that the buli was lost.

The other two men clung to the over turned craft until it went ashore.