REMEMBERING GIZO UPDATE 02

GIZO UPDATE 02

It was a fateful decision which he will live with him painfully for the rest of his life.

Gizo mechanic and boat skipper Steven Kaurawa is now a broken hearted man.

He is lost in deep mourning. His pain is wider than the wide expanse and deeper than the blue depths of the Pacific Ocean. 

On New Year's day, Steven made a fateful decision in the middle of the ocean.

He was the original skipper of the 75hp boat that is now missing in Solomon Islands waters.

He decided to change boats to fix the broken down engines of the other boat in a 2 boat convoy heading from Gizo to Shortlands.

He left his wife Rosemary and baby daughter Tekavitta on the 75hp boat. Both are among those lost at sea after a sudden storm swamped their boat.

Steven and the passengers he helped on the double 40 horse powered boat survived the storm.

Although the boat was swamped thrice, they survived by bailing out the water and floating through the stormy night.

Meanwhile, a Gizo woman has described her lost family as caring, loving and beautiful souls.

Ms Nairy Vilaka, now in Taro, described her cousin Rosemary and niece Joyce as lovely women who really loved their children and husbands.

"In-law Steven is just totally lost. I really feel sorry for him," Ms Vilaka said. 

"He lost his wife and baby daughter. It is so terrible."

"And Joyce, and her three children, also lost. Our family is in deep mourning."

Ms Vilaka met Rosemary while on her way to work on Monday. On Wednesday, she flew back to Taro. On Saturday, January 1, the unfortunate incident occurred. 

"Rose told me they were taking the grandmother's bones to Harapa on Shortlands for traditional burial," Ms Vilaka recalled. 

It was to be their last conversation and last moments together. 

Solomons police boat used in the search.

Weather conditions have worsened with rough seas and strong winds hindering search for recovery. 

The search for the missing 13 was called off last Friday. 

While Steven's decision to join the other boat led to the loss of his loved ones, his boldness also helped save the 16 people on the other boat.

He managed to fix one engine and steer the boat to Moli Island on the next day January 2.