Small Boat Operators Reminded Not To Travel At Night

The Maritime Safety Author­ity of Fiji (MSAF) acting chief executive officer Captain Philip Hill has reiterated their plea to small boat operators who are still providing services to passengers at night during unfavourable weather because they do not have naviga­tional lights.

Captain Hill said small boat op­erators are aware that night travel is prohibited as small boats do not have navigation lights as well as any means of electronic navigational aids.

“At times the boat operator is much younger than the passengers, this is where we expect the senior passen­gers to make the right decisions to cancel the trip,” Captain Hill said.

“I will reiterate my plea to small boat operators not to travel on voy­ages carrying passengers, cargo or go on fishing trips when the weather is not favourable for the voyage,” he said.

“If there are no passengers than these small fibre glass boats will not travel as there is no business for the boat operator.”

He said most marine incident re­ports received were of small boats measuring less than 10 meters in length.

With a trough of low pressure mov­ing over certain parts of Fiji and a strong wind warning issued for the Southern Lau waters, boat op­erators were requested to adhere to weather warnings and refrain from travelling in open seas.

“Members of the public along with traveling passengers are equally responsible for making sound deci­sions to cancel voyages if the weath­er is unfavourable,” he said.

“During rainy weather boat op­erators are restricted in their ability to see where they are headed to or where they have departed from.

“For small boats they do not have electronic navigational aids to assist them when they cannot see land or get their bearings right.

“The only safe and wise thing to do during those times is to postpone all travels until the weather is more fa­vourable.

“I am pleading with members of the public to closely monitor weath­er warnings and to practise boat safety at all times.”