Fiji Mercy Mission
p. 85 · Read in the full issue
Starlings Won the First Round, and Launched a—
r[E European starling, a bird usually addicted to fruits in season, but otherwise innocuous, ras recently responsible for a unshot wound, a sea voyage, and wo flights by RNZAF Sunderlands 3 the eastern-most island of the 'iji Group.
The starlings were first noticed n the island of Ono-i-lau, 222 files to the east and south of ,uva, in 1951. As it was feared the irds’ would spread to other islands f the group, causing havoc amongst tie fruit crops, a team of Fijian tiooters were landed at the island few weeks ago with the object f wiping out the entire starling
opulation there.
The inevitable happened. A ijian storekeeper, to whom the ctions of a twelve gauge shotgun ere being demonstrated, received a unshot w 7 ound in the thigh.
The Assistant Medical Practi oner on the island did all he Duld for the wounded man, but ithput proper drugs and equip lent, thought his condition would eteriorate. The AMP put through n R-T call to the Director of ledical Services at Suva, who sntacted the RNZAF at Laucala lay.
A Sunderland flying-boat was espatched for Ono-i-lau to pick up le patient, but due to coral heads nd shallow water, it was not ossible to alight in the lagoon.
Imergency medical supplies were ropped, but the aircraft returned d base.
It was then found that on the Dllowing day, Yatu Lau the rovinical ship, would be calling at >no-i-lau to discharge supplies at ie island, so word was sent to the aptain to embark the wounded lan and take him to the island f Fulaga, 40 miles away, where mding conditions were known to e reasonably good.
A second flying-boat was des atched from Laucala Bay, a uccessful landing was made at ’ulaga, the patient transferred rom ship to plane, and taken to uva and admitted to hospital diere his condition immediately
nproved.-
Rob Wright.
THE STORY IN PICTURES: One of the two eat villages on Fulaga Island, where the ounded man was taken by ship for air vacuation. People can be seen on the beach aving to the Sunderland. Centre picture nows the lagoon at Fulaga, as it looked hen the flying-boat was searching for a nding area among those nightmare coral eefs. Inset, "Yatu Lau", with the patient ooard. Bottom picture shows RNZAF doctor, edical orderly and nursing sister attending escued patient as plane heads for Suva.