On February 22, 1973, The Fiji Times reported a heartbreaking incident involving a young boy, Malu Pene, aged 6, whose body was discovered in the upper reaches of the Vatuwaqa River. Malu was walking along a makeshift crossing with family—his sister, aunt, and two cousins—when he tragically slipped and fell into the river.
His 10-year-old cousin, Raurekua, attempted to save him from the swift current but was unable to reach him in time. Other children who were swimming nearby also tried to assist, but Malu disappeared beneath the surface.
A search effort involving around 40 people from the Raiwaqa Housing Estate was launched but unfortunately yielded no results initially. Malu’s aunt, Mrs. Tiwila Kaurasi, 34, expressed her concern about the crossing, describing it as dangerous. She noted that it was her first time using the crossing, having been prompted by the children who claimed to do so regularly.
“I saw Malu fall in, but I couldn’t rush to save him because my daughter Rosa, 8, began to cry,” Mrs. Kaurasi recounted. “When I turned around, the boy had vanished. It was a terrifying moment.”
Mrs. Kaurasi urged that authorities should either demolish or improve the crossing to prevent future tragedies. Mr. Swami Nair, 34, a nearby printer, highlighted that hundreds of children and adults relied on this crossing for their daily commutes to school and work. He also recalled a previous incident where another child had drowned after falling off the crossing.
The crossing was reportedly erected by the Public Works Department as a temporary measure to facilitate access during the construction of the Raiwaqa sewage treatment plant. Given the circumstances, it calls for immediate attention to address safety measures for the many individuals who traverse this precarious route daily.
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