Luai Tavita knows exactly how close he came to death - he remained fully conscious during the triple-fatal crash that killed his friends a year ago.
The 40-year-old is one of three Samoan seasonal workers who survived the horrific collision with a truck on SH1 between Bombay and Ramarama, Auckland, last August.
“I thank God for life” he told the Herald.
“I can’t forget it because I saw it happen. It’s not like I was asleep when the accident happened - I saw it all.”
Tavita was one of five workers here under the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme who were being driven by a family member to Auckland from the Bay of Plenty when a truck suddenly veered towards their van.
Tavita was sitting in the front passenger’s seat and saw the accident unfold before his eyes.
The coroner is investigating the circumstances of the crash.
At the time, Police said indications suggested a tyre on the truck blew out - causing it to cross the barrier wires into northbound lanes and the van.
Tavita’s two workmates, Leauga Jerry Leauga, 37, and Ta’avao Kelemete, 32, were killed. Their uncle, 45-year-old Fa’aofo Uili Fa’aofo, was driving the van in order to spend time with them. He was also killed instantly.
The brothers were employed by EastPack Ōpōtiki and had been on their way to Auckland before a scheduled flight to Samoa that same week.
Tavita suffered serious injuries to his spinal cord and neck. He returned to Samoa after the crash and spoke at the funeral services for his friends, whose bodies were returned to their home on the big island of Savaii.
“People were shocked when I walked up to speak - I was still wearing a neck brace. They couldn’t believe it.”
Tavita, who had worked in New Zealand under the RSE scheme since 2022, resigned in order to recover.
He returned to his village of Asaga, Savaii, to take care of his elderly parents. His wife continued to work overseas to support the family.
“I was in Samoa for a month before I got enough strength to head out to sea again, as you do, to help feed my family.”
Earlier this year, however, he received a phone call - asking if he would consider returning to New Zealand to work in a vineyard in Blenheim.
He was drawn back - to work as a team leader, supporting other RSE workers as part of his role. “It’s a blessing - as if I’m meant to come back to continue working here, because my work is not done.”
Coincidentally, a van carrying 10 Indonesian RSE workers from the same company, Eastpack, was involved in a single-vehicle crash near Maketū on Monday - almost a year to the day since last year’s triple fatality.
Six workers suffered serious injuries. Their employer has opened an internal investigation into the incident.
Asked whether he has been back to the Ramarama crash site, Tavita pauses before he responds.
“Once. On the day we travelled to Auckland from Te Puke, by bus, to catch a flight out of Auckland to Blenheim.
“As we passed that part of the road, I couldn’t help the tears in my eyes just seeing where we crashed.”
One thing he tells his colleagues daily is to truly appreciate the opportunity they have been given to work and earn a living for their families back in Samoa.
The crew members pray together - in the morning before they head out to work and after work, in the evening.
“Coming back this year... it’s like I’m more motivated.
“It’s true that my mind does go back to what happened when I sit alone at times. But being here again, I am so happy.”
Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald’s Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and won the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.