Two men survive three-day sea ordeal after betel-nut boat flips

By ELIZABETH VUVU
TWO men in Manus survived a three-day ordeal at sea recently after their boat capsized, while a third remains missing, police say.
Police commander Chief Inspector David Yapu said the seven-metre boat with a 60-horsepower engine left Wewak for Manus on Monday, Dec 4, with about 60 10kg bags of betel nut.
The three on the boat were Pouru Pochili, 18, from Liuliu village, Rambutso Island in Rapatona; Muli Anis, 45, from Popeu village, Rambutso Island, Rapatona; and Moses Bradley, 30, from Liuliu village, Rambutso Island, Rapatona local level government. Between Wewak and Manus, the boat capsized leaving them adrift.
Pochili and Anis were rescued on Friday and are now at the Manus Hospital. Bradley is still missing.
Yapu commended the people of Lou Island for saving the two.
Searches were underway for the missing.
Yapu has again warned people involved in the betel nut trade from Madang, Wewak and Kavieng not to travel in bad weather.
“We have been experiencing strong winds and rough sea in Manus for the past few weeks and you should not be travelling out in open sea,” Yapu said.