Vic: Family to travel to Fiji to join in search for missing man
By Alan Gale
MELBOURNE, April 21 AAP - Relatives of an Australian teenager missing after a boatoverturned in a Fijian storm yesterday, killing his father, will travel to Suva to joinin the search.
Christopher Legudi, 18, of Swan Hill in north-western Victoria, has not been sightedsince the small boat capsized, drowning his 50-year-old father, Anthony.
His mother, Rhonda, aged 48, is in a satisfactory condition in Suva's Colonial Memorial hospital.
Family members, led by the drowned man's brother, Vince Legudi - also of Swan Hill- would be flying to Fiji tomorrow, a family spokesman told AAP.
"We want to know more about what happened, what sort of boat they were travelling in,whether it had life jackets," he said.
"We would now like to be left alone until we have a better idea of what happened."
The Legudi family, who were holidaying in Fiji, were on their way to an island fora picnic on Saturday with seven local villagers when the seven metre punt they were voyagingin overturned.
A strong weather warning was in force at the time, and thunderstorms coupled with strongcurrents in the notoriously rough passage of water just south of Suva continue to hampersearch operations, a Fiji police spokesman said.
"Navy divers have been called in to help in the search, which has been running wheneverit was possible," he said.
"They were searching for the boy until 1830 (6.30pm FJT) and will start at dawn (onMonday) if the weather is OK."
The Legudis had been travelling from Nasilai beach, about 15 km south of Suva to aplace called Naivilaca when the punt was caught by a wave and capsized, Fiji police said.
Three local villagers managed to swim ashore and alert authorities.
When rescuers reached the upturned boat, they found Anthony Legudi's body floatingnearby and five people, including his wife Rhonda, clinging to the hull.
But there was no sign of their son Christopher, police said.
Police said all the survivors returned safely to shore in one of the villagers' boats,while the other ferried Mr Legudi's body to land.
Mrs Legudi was admitted to the small, nearby Wainiboksi (Wainiboksi) hospital, butwas later transferred to the larger Colonial Memorial Hospital.
AAP ag/cjh/sb
KEYWORD: PICNIC SECOND NIGHTLEAD
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