Officer:Take heed of strong wind warnings

NATIONAL Weather Service assistant director Jimmy Gamoga is disappointed with boat owners still not taking heed of strong wind warnings.
Gomago said in Port Moresby yesterday that owners of small craft must take extra precautions when going go out to sea.
He advised boat owners to listen carefully to strong wind warnings and take note of them.
Gamoga was reacting after the second boat incident in Miline Bay last weekend when the 10-metre vessel mv Olalu, which ran aground a reef near Basilaki Island in Samarai.
“We have not received any reports about a boat wreck in Milne Bay waters,” Gomaga said.
He said boat owners had no excuse because strong wind warnings were constantly sent out to the Maritime Provinces and Milne Bay was no exception.
“We are using the same global models that are being used in America, Australia and the United Kingdom to have access to read the weather and send out data,” Gamoga said.
Milne Bay provincial disaster and emergency coordinator Eric Balaria confirmed the grounding of the vessel last Saturday morning.
 “I’m very, very disappointed that boat owners are still not taking strong wind warnings seriously,” he said.
“I reiterate that boat owners must do a sea inspection before they travel out,” Balaria said.
He said eight men and three crew members were rescued and that no one was missing.
This is the second incident in Milne Bay five weeks after the mv Oyapo was wrecked on the reefs outside the Amphlett Group of Islands, north of Fergusson Island on July 30.
Five people are still missing and 13 passengers were rescued from the mv Oyapo.
Balaria said his office was arranging transport to send the eight men back to Misima Island.