Friends recall ordeal at sea

By LESLIE OMARO
TWO students who became friends while tra­velling on the mv Rabaul Queen on Feb 2 recounted of the ordeal passengers faced as the vessel started to sink.
Richard Penticost, 25, from Kavieng, and Paul Benson, 28, from East New Britain, were travelling to Lae for studies.
They appeared before the commission of inquiry in Lae on Tuesday.
They said they were on promenade deck when the ship was hit by big waves.
They said the ship was overcrowded and when they jumped into the sea.
They did not see anyone wearing life jackets.
Another passenger Paschalis Kanama, 29, said  at 5.30am, someone called out that the ship was sinking.
He said the ship sank quickly after turning upside down and he quickly jumped into the sea.
He said he saw big waves hitting the back of the ship and saw other passengers starting to jump out.
He also heard people crying out for help.
“In less than 10 minutes, the ship sank and I swam 40m to a life raft which had more than 10 people in it,” he said.
He said they were rescued seven hours later.