Search and rescue operations for nine people reported missing at sea have widened significantly, with authorities now covering an area of roughly 20,000 square nautical miles since searches began late last week. The Rescue Coordination Centre Fiji is leading the effort, which has drawn on naval, police and regional air assets as teams press outward from the vessel's last known location near Solo Lighthouse, north of Kadavu.
Today’s intensified sweep saw the Fiji Navy deploy the Guardian-class patrol boat RFNS Timo alongside a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, providing a major boost to aerial coverage. Additional resources included a Defence-chartered fixed‑wing aircraft from Northern Air, a helicopter carrying Fiji Navy air riders and two Water Police vessels. Local communities and other regional partners have also been assisting the coordinated mission, authorities said.
Search patterns have been driven by a combination of prevailing weather conditions and the incident’s last known position. Teams focused operations around Vatulele, Beqa, Kadavu and the Lomaiviti island group, extending searches further west of Kadavu and along the Coral Coast. Earlier in the operation crews concentrated on waters immediately around Solo Lighthouse and northern Kadavu before expanding the grid in response to new modelling and sea-state assessments.
Officials emphasised the scale of the area now being covered, describing the operation as one of the largest maritime searches in recent times for Fiji. The coordinated effort brings together the Fiji Navy, Fiji Police Force, Water Police and the Rescue Coordination Centre Fiji, with tactical guidance from aerial surveillance assets to direct surface units and community search teams to promising sectors.
Authorities have maintained regular contact with the families of the missing, assuring them that all available resources are being committed to locating the nine people. Family liaison and updates have been integral to the response, officials said, as crews continue to balance intense search demands with changing weather and sea conditions.
The expanded operation underscores ongoing concerns about maritime safety and rapid response capability across Fiji’s widely dispersed island groups. The attention on this case follows broader calls from the Human Rights and Anti‑Discrimination Commission and other stakeholders for a coordinated national taskforce to address missing-persons cases and improve search and rescue preparedness — an issue that has gained prominence in recent months.
Search teams said operations will continue while conditions permit, with asset tasking and search patterns adjusted daily based on new information, weather forecasts and sightings. No survivors or wreckage have been reported publicly so far. The Rescue Coordination Centre Fiji remains the central point for operational coordination and public updates.