A man who drowned at Fua’amotu sea is being hailed a hero for saving the life of another person after a rogue wave swept them out to sea.
The body of 19-year-old Toupili Finau has still not been found since July 29.
It was not clear what had happened to the other victim the family said Finau was trying to rescue.
Tonga Police said an extensive search including multiple shoreline searches were carried out by Search and Rescue team.
Finau’s sister who goes by the Facebook name Andria Tangataevaha was heartbroken and she took to Facebook to share her grief.
“You swam to rescue another life who was in difficulty, and that because you were a person who put other people’s lives before you. That’s how you were being described. You were a hero. You were a champion after you died for other people.”
In Tongan, she wrote on Facebook: “’A si’o kakau ke kaufaki’i e mo’ui ne ‘i mu’a iate koee he nake fkmuomua maupe koe other people before you..!! Kohono fakamatala’i ia koee Koe “Helo” koeee koe “To’a” keke mateaki si’o mo’ui ma’aha ni’ihi kehe…
The family members and friends, who have been camping at the beach since Finau went missing, held prayer services and assisting the Rescue team.
