Bodies Found On Christmas, Couple Inside Partly Submerged Vehicle At Kasavu
They were identified as 31-year-old Tei Ete Joe O’Brien and 22-year-old Merewalesi Rovoka Naibau Rokoluita, Police said.
Saturday 26 December 2020 | 09:59
Authorities salvage the wrecked vehicle on December 25, 2020. INSET: Photo: Ronald Kumar INSET: One of the victims... Tei Ete Joe O’Brien.
A loud noise was heard in Kasavu, Nausori, on Christmas morning.
It was a little after 4am. Tomasi Rakoroi looked out his window and saw nothing. It was then when a few trucks passed by, he thought it was the trucks.
Nobody else in the community bothered to check also, even though some neighbours said they had heard the crashing sound too.
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It was not until 9am when Mr Rakoroi and his brother noticed a purple-coloured vehicle partially submerged in the Drekainakelo Creek, right next to the Rewa River.
“The vehicle was upside down. We went down to check the vehicle. We saw people inside and at the point realised that they were dead. So, we called the Police,” he said.
The vehicle was coming from Nausori, heading towards Korovou. There was no evidence of tyre skid marks visible, but barriers on the road were broken with the vehicle landing in the creek, almost three metres down from the road.
Two people died after the vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and landed in the Drekainakelo Creek in Kasavu, outside Nausori on December 25, 2020. Photo: Ronald Kumar
Police report:
It was a tragic Christmas for two families following a motor vehicle accident near Kasavu, Tailevu which claimed the lives of their loved ones.
The accident occurred this morning and the two victims were allegedly heading to Natovi when their car veered off the road and landed in the near-by river.
Their bodies were retrieved from the car after it was pulled from the river.
The two victims have been identified as a 31 year old man originally from Savusavu and was residing in Wainibokasi while the second victim has been identified as a 22year old woman originally from Tonia Village, Tailevu and was residing with relatives in Davuilevu.
Divers from the Special Response Unit were deployed to the scene to conduct search operations around the scene of the accident, as investigators continue to liaise with close family and friends to determine if they were traveling with someone else.
Investigations continue.
Edited by Naisa Koroi
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