THE body of Wiremu "Billy Boy" Tawhiti, who died at sea along with his fishing mate Cedric James on the ill-fated fishing boat Mi Jay is on its way home to Wairarapa.
Mr Tawhiti's sister Leonie said although she had hoped, even expected her brother to just turn up and knock
on her door, he won't be doing that but he will be coming home to Papawai marae to lie in state, be given a proper send-off and be buried in the cemetery at Papawai.
She and other whanau members were on their way to Christchurch last night to claim the body of Billy, 53, whose body, with that of Mr James, 52, was found in a drifting lifeboat off the Kaikoura Coast.
The boat's skipper, Bill Rees, 52, remains missing.
Rescue authorities are hoping the partly submerged liferaft, found 11km offshore, will give them some clues as to what happened to the men and their boat.
The crewmen found onboard were wearing little clothing, leading rescuers to believe they abandoned ship in a hurry.
Maritime New Zealand director Russell Kilvington said yesterday a full inquiry will be made.
He said the search for the Mi Jay had been hampered by a lack of information about where it was headed and the fact it was not notified as missing until 14 days after it left Nelson on November 22.
The boat's owner, Warwick Loader, of Crusader Fisheries, reported the Mi Jay missing on December 6 after being unable to establish radio contact.
Mr Tawhiti had lived in Nelson for many years working as a wharfie until getting the golden handshake a few years ago but he always regarded himself as a son of Wairarapa and is well remembered, particularly in Greytown.
A former pupil of Greytown School and Kuranui College, he was a popular prankster and good sportsman who played rugby, cricket and later golf.
The discovery of his body came as a great shock to his family, even though they had known for many days that he could have been lost at sea.
"But at least we have his body to bring home," Leonie said.
Mr Tawhiti had his share of disappointments with his wife Rachel (nee Lumsden) dying unexpectedly in Foxton about two years ago.
Soon afterwards, their daughter Kim was killed in a car crash.
Leonie said Billy, or Billy Boy as he was often called at school, was an excellent brother prone to "doing the unpredictable".
THE body of Wiremu "Billy Boy" Tawhiti, who died at sea along with his fishing mate Cedric James on the ill-fated fishing boat Mi Jay is on its way home to Wairarapa.
Mr Tawhiti's sister Leonie said although she had hoped, even expected her brother to just turn up and knock
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