The Friendly Island Shipping Agency (FISA) staff stood silently, sang, cried and farewelled one of their own whose body was recovered from the sea in Vava’u on Sunday.
Niutoni Langilangi, 48, was given a special emotional sendoff this morning at Queen Sālote wharf near FISA’s office in which he worked as chief engineer for the company.
His casket, which was draped with ngatu and kie, was put in a trailer before it was brought under a marquee erected at the wharf for the staff to pay their last respect to their colleague.
As Kaniva News reported Langilangi’s body was recovered from the sea after he disappeared on Sunday morning.
Police said they were investigating. The circumstances surrounding his death were still unknown.
Unconfirmed reports said Langilangi’s last moment of movements before he disappeared was caught on the MV Tongiaki’s CCTV.
One report said Langilangi was with the crew in the vessel at Neiafu’s Puatalefusi harbour before he disappeared.
Search and rescue teams spent the weekend hunting for him before locating his body towards seas near Talau.
Langilangi is survived by his wife Telēsia and their only one child.