The coordinated search for nine men who went missing at sea off Kadavu has been officially suspended, the Fiji Navy announced yesterday, prompting fresh anguish and pleas from relatives who say they are not ready to accept the worst.
Families reacted with disbelief after being told the search would stop. “We cried when we heard the news relayed by the navy that they will stop looking for them,” said Miliakere Divadra, whose husband, Osea Vakaruru, and three sons remain unaccounted for. “We the family have not lost hope and we believe they are still out there, waiting to be rescued.” Other relatives echoed her refusal to concede the men are gone.
Joana Vukatava, the wife of missing fisherman Lemeki Tikoitoga, made a personal appeal for the operation to be extended by three days. “Our children need their fathers,” she said, urging authorities to consider further search efforts despite the navy’s decision.
The Fiji Navy said its decision followed a “careful review” of extensive aerial and surface searches, the total areas covered, prevailing weather and sea conditions, drift analysis and survivability considerations. The review also took into account all information gathered during the search, including reported sightings, floating debris, and the confirmed recovery of a semi-submerged fiberglass boat identified as the missing vessel. While active searching has been suspended, the navy said monitoring will continue and the case remains open.
Minister for Maritime Ro Filipe Tuisawau confirmed the matter is now the subject of an investigation by the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF). He told reporters safety compliance remains a concern, signalling that inquiries will examine whether procedures, equipment or other regulations were followed ahead of the incident.
The suspension marks the latest development in days of coordinated efforts involving aerial and surface assets. Families and community members have been closely following the operation, and the recovery of the semi-submerged craft had previously raised hopes that further trace evidence or survivors might be found. With the search paused, attention will shift to the formal investigation by MSAF and to continuing monitoring by naval and maritime authorities.
Relatives say they will continue to press for answers and for any possible resumption of active searches. The navy’s statement left open the possibility of reactivation should new credible information emerge, and authorities have asked anyone with further sightings or evidence to come forward to support ongoing monitoring and the MSAF inquiry.
The suspension and the pending investigation underscore both the human toll for families awaiting word and the technical challenges of maritime search-and-rescue operations — where weather, sea state, drift patterns and survivability timelines critically shape decisions about when to call off active searching and move to monitoring and investigation.