Disasters—

Two Marine

Tonga And Fiji

TWO marine disasters are re ported—one in Tonga and one in Fiji.

Nukualofa reported in mid- October that an unnamed cutter, bound from Lifuka to Kao (30 miles to the westward) foundered with the presumed loss of seven lives, on October 2. One person aboard was a Fijian. Two Tongan survivors landed on Kao.

From Suva came news of the loss of the 35-foot auxiliary cutter Nora, when bound from Ngau Island to Suva, on October 21. Though normally licensed to carry 19 per sons all told, the 32-year-old Nora had 39 aboard at the time. She was struck by a squall and capsized.

Twenty-six persons reached Moturiki on rafts; eight men and one woman were lost; and five others, including the captain, were saved, following an extensive air and sea search. They were picked up, almost exhausted, clinging to the upturned hull, 23 hours after the accident. They told of sharks circling the derelict, waiting for the men to drop off, one by one.

Nora is listed as belonging to Mr.

J. Eastgate, of Levuka. She had a Fijian master.