16 Feb 2010

Tokelau reviews safety procedures after three young men drown when boat capsizes

2:51 pm on 16 February 2010

A review of safety is underway on Tokelau's Atafu atoll after three young men died in a boating accident.

The local transport boat overturned in bad weather as it went through the channel from the lagoon to the open ocean.

It was going to off-load supplies and passengers from the MV Tokelau.

The local leader of Tokelau's Atafu atoll, the Faipule Kuresa Nasau, says he has now urged everyone to wear lifejackets at all times while at sea.

"I think we took life for granted, we depend a lot on these boys to do the work for us. They wanted to get things done their way and I think its a wake up call for us to make sure everything from now on, we going to have to monitor everything, everyone has to get involved with this."

Kuresa Nasau says the people on his atoll are still struggling to comes to terms with the loss to a community of about 500