Two families are in mourning following a tragic accident on Wailoaloa Road early Sunday morning that resulted in the deaths of their 17-year-old sons. The victims, Samisoni Bale and Salesi Vakatawa, were students at Lelean Memorial School in Nausori and were traveling in a vehicle at the time of the incident.
The driver, a 30-something aircraft engineer, is currently in police custody. Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew highlighted the serious repercussions of ignoring road safety guidelines, noting that preliminary investigations suggest that speeding and alcohol consumption may have contributed to the crash.
Salesi’s mother, Adi Halaiwalu Vika, expressed her family’s shock and heartbreak. “I have six daughters, and he was my only son. I had high hopes for him,” she shared. “We waited for him to return by 8 pm, only to receive the devastating news.”
Samisoni’s mother, Mere Makitalena, 47, last spoke with her son on Saturday afternoon when he returned from a day working in a sugarcane field. “He mentioned he was going to Martintar and would be back later. He was taking a break year before resuming his education next year,” Ms. Makitalena recounted with emotion.
Samisoni, the eldest of two siblings, and Salesi suffered fatal injuries when the vehicle, which did not have a canopy, veered off the road and overturned near a tree. The two boys, along with two other passengers in the vehicle’s tray, were ejected during the crash after the driver lost control while attempting to overtake another vehicle. The remaining passengers were transported to Nadi Hospital with serious injuries, while the families await the results of post-mortem examinations to make funeral preparations.