Three dead at sea

By GYNNIE KERO
THE bodies of two adults and a child have been recovered while the search for two people continues after a dinghy capsized in rough seas off the coast of Wewak.
The incident on Monday evening prompted authorities to again warn people about travelling by sea during bad weather.
The National Weather Office said a strong wind warning in the Bismarck Sea affecting East Sepik, West Sepik, Madang and northern parts of New Ireland would continue until Friday.
East Sepik rural police commander Inspector James Baugen told The National from Wewak yesterday that dinghy left Wewak at around 5pm and was travelling towards Madang.
Villagers of Forok on the coast who saw the boat capsize around 6pm went to rescue the passenger.
But a man, a woman and a child had already died when they arrived.
“Two people are still missing. Police are trying to find out how many passengers boarded the dinghy in Wewak,” Baugen said.
He said the skipper and his crew who were among the people rescued fled immediately after reaching the shore. The villagers alerted police afterwards.
Baugen said boat operators and passengers must heed the weather warnings from the National Weather Office.
“It’s risky to travel during bad weather. People shouldn’t be traveling. Awareness are conducted but messages are being ignored,” he said.
East Sepik Health Authority acting chief executive officer Mark Mauludu confirmed that two bodies were in the morgue while one person was “fighting for his life” at the hospital’s accident and emergency section.
“Others, no information as yet,” he said.