Back home after ordeal – The National

**An emotional Gaba Lohia yesterday at his family home in Hanuabada village, National Capital District. – Nationalpics by KENNEDY BANI**

By AILEEN KWARAGU
FOR 21 days, the four fishermen survived on rain water and coconuts, as passing ships ignored their frantic wave for help, probably thinking that they were pirates.
That is the story of Gaba Lohia, 32, Lohia Michael Nou, 18, Frank Doura, 36, and Maku Dai, 22, of Hanuabada village, after they were reunited with their families in Port Moresby yesterday.
“We spotted a total of 15 ships,” Lohia said.
“We did not know where they were travelling from.
“But none helped us maybe because they thought we were sea pirates.
“Every time we saw a ship, we would stand up and wave (pleading for) help.
“We noticed them seeing us, but they did not help us.”
The four went trolling on Feb 7 and failed to return home, sparking a massive sea and air search.
They were finally found on Feb 27 at Domara village in Abau, Central.
Lohia told The National yesterday that it was through God’s grace that they managed to survive in the open sea for almost 21 days.
They left Hanuabada village with two tanks of fuel, a paddle, fishing nets, water and food enough for a day.
“When we left the village, we went into the deep ocean not knowing that a storm was coming,” he said.
“When the storm hit us, we could not see the clouds.
“When we realised that the wind and the current were moving us down the south-eastern coast, we decided to stop just near Taurama Bay to wait for the wind to stop.
“Because the current was too strong, we lost sight of the mountains, the lights from the villages and the land.”
He said they were out in the ocean for more than a week, and at one stage drifted as far as Alotau.
But they did not see any helicopter or boat sent out to look for them. An emotional Doura said he could not believe that they survived the ordeal.
At times when they saw land, they tried to paddle towards the shore, but could not.
“Gaba and I are older and stronger, and our concern was our little brothers Maku and Lohia,” Doura said.
“We managed to grab floating coconuts and shared them just to eat something.”
On Feb 26, the four spotted a light from some fishermen a distance away from where they were.
They used their outboard motor engine as anchor to hold the dinghy still.
Early Monday, Feb 27, they were rescued by fishermen from Domara village and taken to the village.
With the assistance of the PNG Defence Force, they were transported back home yesterday.