Another Conversion Story

Boat Capsized

Sister Beunnang Btookoki recently returned  to Tarawa, after serving a mission in Australia.  While assisting her with an application to BYU Hawaii, she recounted to us a miraculous story that happened to her in 2009.  


It is an extraordinary story of faith, courage, and trust in the Lord, under very difficult and challenging conditions.  We found her story and commitment to the gospel truly inspirational. 

We have posted her story first, as we remember her telling it.  It is followed by a summary of some online news accounts of the tragic event.  Sister Btookoki did not provide a lot of detail about her experience, but you could still feel the pain in her voice and in her expression as she briefly recounted the incident.

Sister Btookoki joined the Church when she was 12 years old along with her family.   She attended Moroni High School for seven years and graduated for both high school and seminary. 

She told us of a heart rendering and life changing experience that occurred to her in July 2009.  Sister Btookoki was a passenger on a large canoe traveling from Tarawa to Maiana - an outer island in Kiribati.  During the journey, the large canoe on which she was traveling capsized during a storm at sea.  Of the 55 passengers on board only 22 survived.   

She spent 3 days in the ocean, waiting to be rescued.  She said "I never panicked, cried or feared for my life".  She had great faith that the Lord would help her and all would be well.   Instead, she focused her efforts on trying to help other people survive the ordeal.  Eventually, she along with some others were rescued.  

As a result of that experience she knew she had been spared by her Heavenly Father and made to Him a commitment to serve a mission.  She has since returned from her mission and continues to serve in the Church.  She hopes to soon continue her education at BYU Hawaii.

The following is from online news accounts of the tragic event 

The boat was taking passenger from Tarawa to the Island of Maiana, about 69 Km (37 miles) to the south.  Apparently, the 17 metre (55 foot) double-hulled canoe capsized during an attempted rescue of a crew member who fell off the mast into the ocean during rough weather conditions.  When the captain tried to turn the canoe around to rescue the sailor - the high waves capsized the canoe.   

Five people were able to swim ashore to raise the alarm.  Of the 55 people on board only 22 were rescued including Sister Btookoki, the search party found 12 dead and searched for over a week for the others who were missing, but to no avail.  Airplanes from New Zealand and else where joined the search effort. 

After an extensive rescue efforts for over a week, the search for the rest of the victims was finally was called off.   Those drowned included pregnant ladies, babies, small children as well as adults.   It was the worst maritime disaster in Kiribati history.

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Kiribati Canoes 

The photos that follow show a large Kiribati canoe that is larger but in similar design to the one Sister Btookoki was in when it capsized.  The information below is from Jane Resture Website:  http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_canoe/index.htm

Another very interesting link from Jane on designing and building canoes in Kiribati is at: http://www.janeresture.com/kiribati_canoe/history.htm

Tabiteuea (Kiribati) locals sail a swift 96 feet, three mastered outrigger canoe. Its width is five and a half feet, freeboard five feet, and draft three feet. The outrigger is a single log about 49 feet long and 2 feet in diameter lashed to the hull amidships by thirteen 20 foot pieces forming a scaffold. The masts are 40 feet high. Since the deck is only half covered, it is possible to "go below" at any point. A red flag floats from each masthead. Like the smaller craft, it is constructed without metal, all parts being tied together with coconut fibre. 

From the outrigger, the huge steering oar looks small. However, for the Kiribati lads who clamber out on the framework to keep the speeding craft on an even keel clear vision of the steersman is vital. An unexpected puff or flaw could easily fling them overboard. 

Kiribati people in canoes swarm about a visiting schooner. When not in use, the woven mat sails are rolled neatly on the outriggers, for there is no room for them in the slender hulls.

Cray fishing in Kiribati from an outrigger canoe

I-Kiribati fishermen occasionally find pearls in oysters taken from the lagoons

Loss at sea shocks Kiribati community July 21 2009 11:08 AM A+ A- | print | email | mobile Bookmark and Share The Kiribati community in Fiji has expressed shock and sadness at the loss of 18 people who perished at sea after their boat capsized last week. The boat reportedly capsized while ferrying passengers from the main island of Tarawa to outlying Maiana island. A family member of a rescued survivor Jason Tarebu told FijiLive the Kiribati community in Fiji was in still in deep shock after news of the incident was related to them. “I was scared, my cousin and his wife were traveling on the ferry. My family members were constantly in prayer hoping that they would be saved. “We are a small island nation and with limited resources people are forced to take small boats to travel between islands,” Tarebu said. Yesterday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force withdrew from a weeklong search for the missing 18. According to Radio New Zealand, a NZ plane has been assisting in the search since the boat went down last Monday. Twenty survivors were picked up and seven bodies recovered, said Neville Blakemore from New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The ferry, a 17m double-hulled canoe, capsized when the captain tried to recover a crewman lost overboard in high waves.

Read more at: http://www.fijilive.com/news_new/index.php/news/show_news/18464
Copyright 2012 © Fijilive.com

The Kiribati community in Fiji has expressed shock and sadness at the loss of 18 people who perished at sea after their boat capsized last week. The boat reportedly capsized while ferrying passengers from the main island of Tarawa to outlying Maiana island. A family member of a rescued survivor Jason Tarebu told FijiLive the Kiribati community in Fiji was in still in deep shock after news of the incident was related to them. “I was scared, my cousin and his wife were traveling on the ferry. My family members were constantly in prayer hoping that they would be saved. “We are a small island nation and with limited resources people are forced to take small boats to travel between islands,” Tarebu said. Yesterday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force withdrew from a weeklong search for the missing 18. According to Radio New Zealand, a NZ plane has been assisting in the search since the boat went down last Monday. Twenty survivors were picked up and seven bodies recovered, said Neville Blakemore from New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The ferry, a 17m double-hulled canoe, capsized when the captain tried to recover a crewman lost overboard in high waves.

Read more at: http://www.fijilive.com/news_new/index.php/news/show_news/18464
Copyright 2012 © Fijilive.com

The Kiribati community in Fiji has expressed shock and sadness at the loss of 18 people who perished at sea after their boat capsized last week. The boat reportedly capsized while ferrying passengers from the main island of Tarawa to outlying Maiana island. A family member of a rescued survivor Jason Tarebu told FijiLive the Kiribati community in Fiji was in still in deep shock after news of the incident was related to them. “I was scared, my cousin and his wife were traveling on the ferry. My family members were constantly in prayer hoping that they would be saved. “We are a small island nation and with limited resources people are forced to take small boats to travel between islands,” Tarebu said. Yesterday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force withdrew from a weeklong search for the missing 18. According to Radio New Zealand, a NZ plane has been assisting in the search since the boat went down last Monday. Twenty survivors were picked up and seven bodies recovered, said Neville Blakemore from New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The ferry, a 17m double-hulled canoe, capsized when the captain tried to recover a crewman lost overboard in high waves.

Read more at: http://www.fijilive.com/news_new/index.php/news/show_news/18464
Copyright 2012 © Fijiliv