Sitīveni Vaipulu’s sister Meleane Prescott said it was the most heart-breaking message she ever received when she got a telephone call his brother was killed together with his son in a fatal crash.
Sitiveni, 44, his son Koli Vaipulu, 21, along with three Tongan co-workers did not survive a tragedy that hit after their car was struck by a southbound logging truck on Tuesday 2.
The bodies of the Vaipulus, Sione Teulaka, 21, Halani Fine, 29, and Samuela Taukatelata, 28, were expected to be released to their various families this afternoon.
Four of the victims came from Tonga while Fine was a local resident.
Teulaka and Taukatelata were brothers-in-law.
Fine’s body will be buried in Northshore.
The bodies of the Vaipulus, Taukatelata and Teulaka will be returned to Tonga.
Prescott told Kaniva News she and all the victims worked at the Aongatete Coolstore.
She said she brought Sitiveni and his son from Tonga to come and work with her at the Aongatete and before her brother and her nephew died they were staying with her family in Katikati.
Prescott said they finished their 8pm shift on Tuesday and they left work.
She said she headed home to prepare their dinner.
She stopped by a dairy for a shopping before her mobile phone rang.
“I can’t believe it but I know I must go there to see”, she said.
It was not long from where I left I could see the road was totally blocked by a long queue of vehicles.
“I parked my car on the road and stepped down crying and ran past the long queue to see them”, Prescott said, choking back tears.
It’s so heart-breaking, it’s a total shock to me and my family and we don’t know how to deal with it, she said.
Prescott described Sitiveni as loving, humble and hard working person.
She compared his son to him. He was a cool and hardworking boy, Prescott said.
A brother of Taukatelata said his brother married to a sister of Teulaka.
They came together from Tonga to work here, he said.
He said their bodies will be returned to Tonga but it depends on what the coroner report would recommend on their condition.
The families and RSE workers in Katikati met with RSE Tongan Liaison Officer Sefita Hao’uli at the Aogatele Coolstore last night.
The Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said he “must” come to Katikati today and pay his respect to the victims but according to Hao’uli, the visit was cancelled last night.
This evening there will be a church service in Katikati conducted by the Tongan community at Christian Centre, Henry Road, Katikati at 7.30pm.
Some of the Tongan community leaders in Auckland were expected to attend including Pacific Affairs Minister Sam Lotu Iga and the Tongan Labour Party MP Jenny Salesa.
