Bodies of Tongan fishermen found

By ELIZABETH BINNING and ROSALEEN MacBRAYNE

The bodies of two Tongan men missing in the Whitianga Harbour for almost a week have been found, and a father of six has drowned while illegally fishing for trout with a net on Lake Taupo.

Police said it was likely Raymond Hona, 49, of Turangi, was dragging a net across the mouth of the Waimarino River at the southern end of Lake Taupo when he fell over a 14m drop.

Senior Constable Cliff Jones said Mr Hona, who was a strong swimmer, became entangled in the net and was almost covered by sediment when the national police dive team found his body yesterday.

A companion, who may face charges related to illegal fishing, had raised the alarm after hearing his cries for help about 9pm on Saturday.



The bodies of the two Tongan men were found yesterday and on Saturday. They had been missing from a late-night fishing trip on Tuesday.

Savelio Lolesio, 26 and his cousin Sanualio Kiola, also 26, and a third man, Aisake Lavelua, had ventured into Whitianga Harbour in a small dinghy to check on fishing nets.

Mr Lavelua, 24, their workmate, fell overboard but swam to shore. He raised the alarm for his friends when they did not return.

Their dinghy was found washed up on a sandbank, and on Saturday a man fishing found Mr Lolesio's body floating near Centre Island, in the Mercury Bay area.

Yesterday searchers in a spotter plane found Mr Kiola's body lying on mud flats.

Police said earlier reports that the three men had been fighting in the dinghy were incorrect. After speaking with Mr Lavelua with the help of an interpreter, police accepted he had fallen from the boat.

A strong current and outgoing tide meant it was easier to swim ashore than get back in the boat.

The Maritime Safety Authority is investigating the Whitianga drownings, which police are not treating as suspicious.