Bougainville health minister, wife, son among six missing at sea

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A GOVERNMENT minister, his wife and son are among the six people missing at sea after their boat capsized in Bougainville waters on Saturday.
Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Health Minister Charry (Jerry) Napto, his wife, son and four others had left Buka at around 11am bound for Nissan Island to the north, a boat trip which normally takes around three hours.
Regional MP Peter Tsiamalili Jnr said the boat capsized in rough seas in waters near Nissan and Pinepel islands.
One survivor who swam ashore to Pinipel Island was found unconscious by locals on the beach on Monday morning.
He will be flown to the Buka General Hospital for treatment.
“A massive search and rescue operation is now underway for the missing passengers,” Tsiamalili said.
Napto is the Nissan Island Constituency MP and ABG health minister.
Bougainville disaster coordinator Lt-Col John Imaka said they were concentrating the search in waters near Nissan and Pinipel islands.
“The boat departed Buka at 11am for Nissan Island on Saturday. Sometime between 1pm and 2pm, the boat encountered a mishap about 150 meters from Nissan Island, according to the survivor,” Imaka said.
Imaka said the islanders alerted the ABG Disaster Office in Buka and the Nissan administration.
Four boats were sent out to start the search.
The ABG Disaster Office also requested the PNG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to advise ships travelling through the Solomon and Bismarck seas to keep a lookout for the missing six.
“We are also coordinating with the local health authority and police using their networks, while keeping the disaster office informed of any sighting,” Imaka said. The missing six includes a Digicel technician, according to Digicel PNG’s senior vice president and chief sales officer Lorna McPherson.