More than $500,000 was spent on the massive search and rescue operation for the nine fishermen who went missing at sea last month, according to Fiji Navy Commander Captain Timoci Natuva.
The operation involved extensive coordination and support from regional partners, including aircraft, helicopters and naval vessels.
“Because we used a lot of flights. An aircraft came from New Zealand, so that acquired costs.”
He said the incident highlighted the importance of proper preparation before heading out to sea and ensuring accurate information is provided to authorities during emergencies.
“The initial information that was provided to us was quite sketchy (about) where they initially went.
“We understand that they didn’t have life jackets, the cognition of the weather that is out there, so that’s critical.”
Captain Natuva said mariners must take weather conditions seriously before venturing out to sea.
He said lessons had been learnt from the operation and they are now reviewing ways to better coordinate and respond to similar cases in the future.
