Kiribati to hold special service after boating accident

[Stacey King]

NZ RADIO INTERNATIONAL - Posted at 01:04 on 23 July, 2009 UTC

A joint church service will be held in Kiribati tomorrow night to remember the victims of last week’s boat tragedy -the country’s biggest reported disaster at sea.The Police Maritime service says 15 people have been confirmed dead and 18 are still missing after the accident involving a double-hulled canoe which set sail from Tarawa to Maiana. Earlier this week, the President gave his condolences to families who lost their loved ones and thanked the efforts of those involved with the search and rescue operations.

A service will be held at the Kiribati National Church at 7pm tomorrow night to commemorate those who died. The Commander of Police Maritime, John Mote, says there were 55 people on board the vessel and 22 have survived the ordeal. He says the national flag was half mast last Tuesday to mark the mourning throughout the country.

[Cindy Flood]

Mass will be held today at 7pm at the Cathedral Teaoraereke and not the Kiribati National Church as mentioned above. The ferry that capsized belonged to Maiana Parish and His Lordship Bishop Paul Mea of the Tarawa and Nauru Diocese has declared Mass tonight..government officials and the diplomatic corps are among the invited guests for this special Mass