The story of the MV Kadavulevu disaster is etched in our history as one of sadness. The ill-fated cutter sunk in heavy seas in Lomaiviti on the night of March 29, 1964.
It is one of our worst sea disasters, killing 89 men, women, and children. Only three people survived that tragedy.
Viliame Qelo, 74, a resident now of Wellington, New Zealand, was just 14 when he was rescued with Nina Nareba, 49, and Seini Wakesa, 43, after floating on their rafts for three and a half days without food.
Among those who lost their lives that tragic night were his parents.
As the story goes, they were part of a group travelling to Suva after attending an Easter weekend church soli at Waitoga Village in Nairai when the vessel capsized in choppy seas near Gau Island, eight hours after departure.
Sixty years on, the horror of that night is still vivid in his mind.
He remembers the desperate cries for help as he was with his mum inside the vessel while his father was at the top deck, as the ship capsized in very rough seas.
He remembers seeing a mysterious light in the dark, guiding him to safety. There was chaos! Then there was the rescue!
He still misses his parents. His story took a different turn after that, and he ended up being adopted and living in New Zealand. Mr Qelo’s story is filled with emotions.
There is sadness and hope. With no counselling service available for him at the time, he remembers having to deal with his “problems somehow and learn to move on”.
Yesterday, he was with close family members at Levuka Vakaviti, Ovalau, to attend a family reunion and commemorate the 60th anniversary of the tragedy.
His elder brother former chief magistrate Sekova Naqiolevu believes he may not have survived the disaster if he had accompanied his parents. It turned out that Mr Naqiolevu was supposed to go, but his younger brother Mr Qelo went instead.
Mr Naqiolevu believes there was divine intervention. His Easter message for us is based on family love. This, he said, is important. Family love and support in trying times is crucial for everyone’s survival and wellbeing.
Family, he said, should be a priority, and all families are important in keeping ties and relationship bonds alive.
As we take another day off work and school today, let us reflect on the family as a base.
Let us treat our loved ones with respect and cherish the moments we share, for life, as the MV Kadavulevu tragedy reminds us, can be fleeting.
Yet, even in the face of immense sorrow, the Easter story is like a beacon of hope – a promise of renewal and joy that reminds us that darkness does not extinguish the light.
