Haliman Bi couldn’t stop herself from crying since she heard her husband, Taiyab Hussain, went missing in the Labasa River.

The 53-year-old woman of  Siberia, Labasa, said her 49-year-old husband left the house around 7pm on Tuesday to catch crabs.

“I was stopping him from going to the river, but he didn’t listen,” Ms Bi said.

“He went in his small corrugated iron boat and never returned home, which was very unusual.”

The mother of one said the river was just a few metres from the house.

“My husband and son always used to walk to the river from home to catch crabs because it was their hobby,” she said.

“However, that night my son was away in Suva, and husband just thought to drop the net in the river and collect after a few days.

“When he didn’t return home yesterday, I reported to Police.

“My husband was a very humble, hardworking and loving person.

“He never left me alone. This is the first time and I don’t know whether I will ever see him.”

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed the incident and Police were searching the area.

UPDATE: The body of Mr Hussain was recovered this morning near Benau according to a Fiji Police statement. A post mortem examination will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death.

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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