“I wish he had said goodbye to me”.

These were the heartfelt words expressed by widow, Sereana Kube of Tomuka, Lautoka who lost her youngest son on Thursday.

Seru Ratudradra lost his life while out at sea during a diving trip near Savala Island while accompanied by two others.

He was the youngest of four siblings.

Ms Kube, 66, still cannot bear the pain knowing that her youngest son was no longer by her side.

She only lost her husband one month ago and is still trying to come to terms with the recent loss of her son.

Ms Kube said Seru left home around 8am on Thursday for his diving trip.

“He goes fishing every day he went during the high tide that Thursday,” she said.

Seru Ratudradra.

“The people he was with told him they had done enough diving but he returned to get his spear gun, after a while they noticed he didn’t return and assumed he went out of breath.”

A search was conducted where his body was later found lying motionless underwater.

She said Seru took care of her and was the only employed person in the home.

“The last time I spoke to him was last Saturday. I was due to meet him on Thursday but I didn’t have the chance to,” she said.

She said he had a golden heart, one that she would dearly miss.

“I miss him, even if he didn’t have anything, he would still find a way to make us happy,” she added.

Seru is survived by his wife, Mele Ratudradra.

Police Media officer Wame Bautolu, confirmed that the post mortem for a man in his 30s from Tomuka, Lautoka who died while diving in waters near Savala Island on Thursday has been completed and the case has been classified as a drowning case.

The victim was diving with two others when he went missing. A search was then conducted where he was found motionless underwater.

“The current drowning death toll currently stands at 26 compared to 38 for the same period last year,” Mr Bautolu said..

Edited by Losirene Lacanivalu

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