Boat capsize highlights Lau’s maritime challenges

A fibreglass boat capsized in Ono-i-Lau waters this week, highlighting the ongoing maritime challenges faced by remote island communities that must travel long distances through rough seas due to the lack of basic infrastructure.

Roko Tui Lau Jioji Kalounivalu confirmed no casualties were reported in the incident, which occurred as passengers attempted to board a larger vessel anchored some distance from shore.

Efforts to contact the district representative and nearby villages were unsuccessful when this edition went to press.

“The risk is vessels not coming into the harbour to load passengers and cargo,” Mr Kalounivalu said during an interview at the Lau Provincial Council Office in Suva on Friday.

“Because there is no wharf or jetty, people are forced to board vessels in open waters. They have to travel almost three to four miles just to reach the boat.”

He said passengers were required to cross reefs in small fibreglass boats, often during high tide when sea conditions were roughest, as larger vessels could not navigate shallow coastal waters without proper harbour channels.

The incident comes at the start of the school year, a period when boats are often overloaded with students and workers returning to the islands, compounded by infrequent shipping services.

“The vessel may come now and then only return after four or five weeks,” Mr Kalounivalu said.

“You can imagine that by then, the boats are overloaded.”

Mr Kalounivalu said the Lau Provincial Council had repeatedly called on the Government to prioritise maritime infrastructure, including the construction of jetties and harbour passages.

“We have been quite vocal over the past few years, but there has been a lack of urgency and interest from Government,” he said.

He urged islanders to prioritise safety despite the difficulties of accessing limited transport services.