Divisional Fire Officer Vinesh Kumar (light blue shirt) with fire officers at the Waiqele Airport on March 1, 2018 before moving to the crash site. Photo: WATI TALEBULA
As of 8pm the joint search team has managed to uplift the bodies of the two victims, Iliesa Tawalo and Merelesita Lutu from the crash site.
Divisional Police Commander North SSP Verani Nakauyaca confirmed that despite challenges posed by the rugged terrain and the location of the wreckage, the efforts by Police, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Naional Fire Authority and villagers managed to carefully retrieve the bodies of the two victims from the wreckage.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu said: "Due to nightfall, attempts to bring the victims bodies back down to an area that can be accessed by road to enable the transportation to the Labasa Hospital where the post mortem will be conducted has been called off as it will pose an immediate safety concern for the operation team.
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"Officers will spend the night guarding the scene and the victims bodies and will proceed with the recovery operations at first light."
The Cessna 172 crash site in Vanua Levu, which has been confirmed by the Fiji Maritime Surveillance Rescue Co-ordination Centre.
