Dead
man walking: Rabaul Queen
Survivor returns to Don Bosco Tech Kumgi
by
Fr
Robinson Parappilly SDB
KUMGI PNG: 19 February 2012 --
February 2nd was the
most tragic day in the history of PNG. M.V.Rabaul Queen ferry
which
carried up to 600 passengers from Rabaul to Lae went down to
the ocean
floor at the depth of 1300 -1600m. On that day I had
travelled
to Lae to collect the uniforms for our students which were
being
shipped by M.V. Rabaul
Queen.
Since there was a road block after 80kms, I had to return
home. Upon my
arrival I came to know the tragic accident and the loss of
people (and
potentially, of our uniforms, worth 60,000 Kina). After one
hour I
received a call from the manufacturer of the uniforms telling
me about
the accident and that our uniforms were safe; since there was
no space
on the vessel they had to off load our uniforms!
Our real worry was the number of students who might have been
aboard
the passenger ship. Since it was the opening of the school
year we knew
there were many students likely to be on board. Wesly Gunugu
is one of
our students who boarded from Kimbe and travelled on the
ill-fated ship.
Wesly came to Don Bosco Kumgi in 2011 as part of the
Independent
Fellowship Program (IFS) sponsored by the government of PNG.
After
completing one year of study in Basic Electricity at Don
Bosco, he
wanted to join the school for another two years vocational
training. He
was accepted and returned home for his holidays. On February
1st,
together with his sister who is a second year student at
Divine Word
University, he boarded the ship to come to Don Bosco. The
ship,
believed to be carrying up to 600 people, sank at 6. a.m. in
rough seas
off the coast of Finschhafen in Morobe province, while on its
way from
Rabaul to Lae. Wesly's whereabouts were not known to anyone at
school.
On February 14th when the disaster office published the list
of missing
people and survivors, Wesly's name was found on it. One of his
class
mates who found Wesly's name, sent an SMS message to students
at school
asking for prayers and his eternal repose. The message spread
fast that
Wesly had perished on the M.V.Rabaul
Queen and his body was missing.
I was in Lae picking up the uniforms and also received the SMS
at about
10.30pm. Since I had the news paper and the name list, I just
wanted to
make sure of the name and I found, to my surprise, that Wesly
was now
on the Survival list! I immediately called the school telling
them that
the boy was alive. Meanwhile Fr. Angelo had printed the photo
of the
boy and preparations were well in progress at school for the
Requiem
Mass the following day. We manage to acquire the mobile number
of
Wesly’s aunty who was in Lae and Wesly joined me on 16th to
return to
Don Bosco. He was given a rousing welcome by all Bosconians
who were so
happy to see the survivor Bosconian.
Wesly, who had been sleeping on the bottom deck, had came up
top for
his morning needs. Ferocious waves were lashing the vessel and
at one
moment the vessel lost its balance. According to him very
strong rough
5 meter high waves engulfed the vessel and he was thrown from
the ship.
He removed his shoes and trousers and started to swim away
from ship.
He could see that within a few minutes the whole vessel had
gone down,
dragging most of the people with it. There were only six
life-rafts
available for survivors. He grabbed hold of one of these
rafts
clinging on for five hours and battled the rough waters to
save his
life. A Chinese cargo ship rescued them. He came to Lae the
following
day. His beloved sister whom he had left asleep on the bottom
deck of
the ship is lost forever.
The Salesians, sisters, staff and students are happy to
welcome our
Survivor Bosconian back to his Alma Mater. We thank the good
Lord for
the gift of second life he has given to Wesly and the
protection of Our
Blessed Mother. We pray for the eternal repose of the souls of
all who
perished in the disaster and God may give peace and
consolation to
their families and all those who have survived.