Gets BEM

“Arakarimoa” Hero Gets BEM

THE Queen has approved the im mediate award of the British Empire Medal to loteba Mataro, 38, a Gilbertese from Abaiang Island, in recognition of his gallantry and endurance at the time of the Arakarimoa disaster.

When Arakarimoa struck on a reef off Guadalcanal at the end of February, 1956, after drifting dis abled from the Gilbert Islands, for 64 days, it seemed that the only hope for those with any strength left was to try to reach the shore by swimming through the shark infested sea. When dawn came several people took to the water, in cluding loteba, another member of the crew, named Teata, and a woman carrying a one-year-old baby. loteba took the baby in one arm and swam with the other. After some hours in the water only loteba Mataro, with the baby, and Teata were swimming together.

The others were either drowned or eaten by sharks. About mid afternoon, Teata said he could not last any longer. loteba told him to place his arm around his (loteba’s) neck from behind and, while supporting Teata and still holding the baby, he continued to

fight his way through the heavy seas.

At sunset they reached the line of the breakers, but the baby died, loteba took Teata on his shoulders and struggled through the rough surf to the shore.

The citation read: He landed (completely exhausted)

at sunset on the same day, so have been in the water for 12 hours. It must he remem l too, that this remarkable fe endurance was performed afU privations of more than two m adrift in the Pacific, for tfu two weeks of which they had practically without food.