Moorea ferry
p. 103 · Read in the full issue
wrecked
The inter-island vessel “Rotui”, which has ferried tens of thousands of passengers between Tahiti and Moorea, was wrecked on the reef near Moorea’s Bali Hai Hotel about 10.30 p.m. on Sunday, July 30.
The skipper apparently miss ed the pass through the reef because of extremely poor visi bility. No one was injured. The passengers and crew were taken ashore in the “Niumaru”.
Next morning a French naval vessel tried to refloat the “Rotui”, but she was stuck fast, holed in several places.
The “Rotui” belonged to Mr.
John Teariki, chief of Afareaitu district, Moorea, and a former deputy for French Polynesia in the French Parliament.
The ship was named after a mountain between Paopao and Papetoai Bays, Moorea.
In mid-August, Mr. Teariki set fire to the wreck so that it would not be a menace to navigation.