Members of the Tongan community in Kerikeri gathered on a beach in the Bay of Islands in prayer and song as one of their own was feared missing at sea before later being found alive and safe.
Sources told Kaniva News that Aufuato Kaufisi was rescued and taken to hospital for a medical check-up before being released and returning home in good condition.
Videos shared with Kaniva News show a group of Tongans standing near the shoreline, singing hymns and praying together.
Some appeared visibly emotional during the vigil. Later social media posts referenced Kaufisi’s rescue, although no other individuals were mentioned as being with him during the ordeal.
Meanwhile, Police reported that on the same day, Friday May 1, three men had “narrowly escaped tragedy” after their boat capsized in rough conditions in the Bay of Islands earlier that morning.
Police said they received a report at 6.45am from a man who had swum ashore after the dinghy he was travelling in sank off Wairoa Bay, near Waitangi, at around 3am.
Detective Sergeant Paul Overton said the man’s two crewmates were initially unaccounted for and were “last seen clinging to a chilly bin in the water”.
“The males had been fishing at the time and were not wearing life jackets,” Overton said.
Coastguard responded swiftly, with five volunteers from Coastguard Bay of Islands launching rescue vessel Bay Rescue 2 to assist in the search, alongside a Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
“At around 8.30am, the second person was found safely washed ashore,” a Coastguard spokesperson said.
Less than an hour later, the third missing person was located on rocks near Bayleys Farm in a moderate condition.
“The person was flown to Waitangi Bike Park where they were transported to hospital by road ambulance,” an Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters spokesperson said.
Overton said the incident was caused by a large 12-foot wave striking the vessel, causing it to “rapidly fill with water and sink”.
“I cannot stress just how incredibly lucky these three men are,” he said, describing the situation as a “terrifying ordeal.”
Kaniva News was unable to confirm whether Kaufisi’s rescue and the boating incident were linked.
The events have drawn attention to the dangers of changing sea conditions in the Bay of Islands and the importance of safety precautions, including the use of life jackets.
