‘Will Dad come back?’: Families farewell missing fishermen

“Will Dad come back?”

That is the painful question children of missing fisherman Pita Tikoisuva continue asking their mother nearly three weeks after nine fishermen disappeared at sea off Kadavu.

Inside Saint Pius Parish Church in Raiwaqa, Suva, grieving families gathered on Saturday for an emotional farewell mass after 18 days of waiting, praying and hoping for a miracle.

Tears filled the church as relatives struggled to accept the painful reality facing the families of the missing men.

The group had left on what was meant to be a simple fishing and diving trip on April 22 and were expected home the next day.

But they never returned.

Days later, their empty fiberglass punt was discovered near Vunaniu Bay, Serua Island. Despite extensive searches, there has been no sign of the nine fishermen.

The missing men are Osea Vakaruru, Esekaia Boladuadua, Lemeki Tikoitoga, Mateo Tikoitoga, Sitiveni Tekivaktini, Savenaca Sokini, Maciu Niubalavu, Julian Tavola and Pita Tikoisuva.

For Timaima Buadromo, wife of Mr Tikoisuva, the hardest moments have been trying to answer her children’s heartbreaking questions.

Ms Buadromo said her children kept asking her: “Will Dad come back?”

But she had no answers.

“It is hard to accept that someone you love leaves one morning and never returns,” she said.

Also overcome with grief was Iosefo Baleinatuvu, father of missing fisherman Savenaca Sokini.

With tears in his eyes, he said the past 18 days had been the longest and most painful period the family had ever endured.

He said every morning they woke hoping for good news and praying their sons, brothers and fathers would return safely.

“But now, all we can do is pray for them and ask God to give us strength,” he said.

In a statement, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Naval Division extended its thoughts and prayers to the affected families and urged mariners to exercise a high degree of safety when operating in Fiji’s waters.