A 6 year-old girl from Folaha drowned on January 23 while swimming with other children at Moli beach in Nukuhetulu.
They were floating on a broken refrigerator door near the beach looking for seaweed.
Two of the children got into the water to gather the seaweed while the deceased and another child were paddling the broken door.
Police said the surviving paddler lost the paddle and while trying to retrieve it, realised they were floating towards deeper water.
The paddler managed to get to shore and call for help.
When helpers arrived they found the broken door but the girl was not there.
They searched and found her body close to ‘Ananā beach.
CPR was performed, but to no avail.
She was subsequently taken to Vaiola hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The police also reported a 19 year-old woman from Lapaha died on the 25th after she fell from a pickup.
Police said she fell after the driver tried to evade piglets crossing the road.
Police arrested the driver of the van, a 53 year-old man from Lapaha, and he remains in custody.
On the same day, a 46 year-old man died on the Ha’apai’s island of Fonoi after he collapsed while diving for fish.
The victim went diving with two other fishermen.
According to police, the diver came up with his catch and got into the boat.
The unidentified man, who had been diving using a gas cylinder, then told the two fishermen they should return to shore.
While sitting in the boat he died. The doctor in Nomuka confirmed the victim died from decompression.
