An 18-year-old Papua New Guinean fisherman has been rescued after 41 days adrift in the Pacific, found severely dehydrated on Tuesday between the islands of Tarawa and Maiana, some 2,000 kilometres from his home in northern Bougainville. He is recovering in hospital in Kiribati's capital before being sent home.
Luka Rahan and his cousin set off on a fishing trip from their home in northern Bougainville last month. The pair experienced problems with the boat's motor and, with no anchor on board, began to drift.
A group of Kiribati fishermen found Mr Rahan alone and severely dehydrated adrift on his boat between the islands of Tarawa and Maiana on Tuesday afternoon. The ABC understands his cousin died at sea the week before.
Mr Rahan was taken to Kiribati's capital, Tarawa, where he is recovering in hospital. Jonathan Anthony Kunau, a fellow Papua New Guinean working as an engineer in Tarawa, visited him on hearing about the rescue and helped translate for local authorities and healthcare workers. "That is why I have to go down and check and make sure that he's well," Mr Kunau told the ABC. "He's from my country. I need to be there for him, make him to feel at home, at ease. It's just moral support. He needs to get well soon."
Mr Kunau said Mr Rahan was responsive and working to regain his strength, and that he had been able to inform the young man's immediate family, who were "grateful" to hear he was safe in hospital.
The rescue is the second long-distance rescue involving Bougainvilleans in Kiribati in about a month. Three people from Nissan Island returned home from Kiribati after about 70 days adrift, and told the ABC they survived on raw turtle meat and cocoa.
Mr Kunau encouraged fishermen to keep a compass, an anchor and a phone on board in case of an emergency.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The rescue shows how quickly a routine fishing trip can become life-threatening when a small boat loses engine power and carries no anchor or way to call for help.
- It is the second long-distance drift rescue involving Bougainvilleans in Kiribati within about a month, a recurring risk for Pacific small-boat fishermen.
- Mr Rahan's recovery in hospital is the immediate concern before he can be sent home to his family.
Background
Fishing is a core livelihood across the Pacific, and small open boats often travel long distances between islands. When an engine fails on such a voyage, a boat without an anchor or communications equipment can drift for weeks across open ocean, leaving survival dependent on being spotted by other vessels.
Key Perspectives
Jonathan Anthony Kunau, a Papua New Guinean engineer in Tarawa: visited Mr Rahan in hospital because, as he put it, "He's from my country. I need to be there for him," and urged fishermen to carry a compass, an anchor and a phone in case of emergencies.
Luka Rahan's family: were "grateful" to learn from Mr Kunau that the 18-year-old was safe in hospital.
What to Watch
- Whether Mr Rahan regains enough strength to be discharged and returned home to Bougainville.
- Any further details about the death of his cousin during the voyage, which the ABC understands happened the week before the rescue.
- Whether the two drift rescues within a month push more Pacific fishermen to carry basic safety gear.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedAn 18-year-old Papua New Guinean fisherman was rescued after 41 days adrift at sea.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “An 18-year-old Papua New Guinean man has been rescued after 41 days lost at sea.”
- SupportedHe was found severely dehydrated between Tarawa and Maiana, about 2,000 kilometres from home.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “A group of Kiribati fishermen found Mr Rahan alone and severely dehydrated adrift on his boat between the islands of Tarawa and Maiana, about 2,000 kilometres away, on Tuesday afternoon.”
- SupportedRahan was found on Tuesday and is recovering in hospital in Tarawa before being sent home.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The 18-year-old is recovering in hospital before he is sent home.”
- SupportedRahan and his cousin set off on a fishing trip from their home in northern Bougainville last month.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Luka Rahan and his cousin set off on a fishing trip from their home in northern Bougainville last month.”
- SupportedThe pair's boat motor had problems and, without an anchor, they began to drift.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “While at sea, the pair experienced issues with the boat's motor and, with no anchor on board, began to drift.”
- SupportedThe ABC understands Rahan's cousin died at sea the week before.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The ABC understands his cousin died at sea the week before.”
- SupportedKunau said, “That is why I have to go down and check and make sure that he's well.”RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “"That is why I have to go down and check and make sure that he's well," he told the ABC.”
- SupportedKunau said, “He's from my country. I need to be there for him, make him to feel at home, at ease. It's just moral support. He needs to get well soon.”RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “"He's from my country. I need to be there for him, make him to feel at home, at ease. "It's just moral support. He needs to get well soon."”
- SupportedKunau, a fellow Papua New Guinean and engineer working in Tarawa, visited Rahan and helped translate for local authorities and healthcare workers.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Kunau, who helped translate for local authorities and healthcare workers”
- SupportedKunau said Rahan was responsive and regaining his strength, and that he had informed Rahan's immediate family, who were grateful he was safe in hospital.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Kunau, who helped translate for local authorities and healthcare workers, said Rahan was responsive and working to regain his strength. Kunau said he was then able to inform the boy's immediate family, who were "grateful" to hear that he was safe in hospital.”
- SupportedThis was the second long-distance rescue involving Bougainvilleans in Kiribati in about a month; three Nissan Island people returned home after about 70 days adrift and said they survived on raw turtle meat and cocoa.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “It is the second long-distance rescue involving Bougainvilleans in Kiribati in about a month. Three people from Nissan Island returned home from Kiribati after about 70 days adrift on a boat. The fishermen told the ABC they survived on raw turtle meat and cocoa.”
- SupportedKunau encouraged fishermen to carry a compass, an anchor and a phone in case of an emergency.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “Kunau, an engineer in Kiribati, encouraged fishermen to keep a compass, an anchor and a phone on board in case of an emergency.”