Fiji Seaman to Receive Bravery Award in London.

18 November 2010

Fiji seaman, Mr James Fanifau, who was nominated by Australia is to receive an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) award for bravery at sea in a special presentation in London on November 24.

Mr Fanifau, 27, was nominated for the IMO’s 2010 “Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea” by Australia.

The Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea is an annual award established by the IMO to provide international recognition for those who, at the risk of losing their own life, perform acts of exceptional bravery and display outstanding courage in attempting to save life at sea.

Mr Fanifau was a fourth engineer aboard the vessel MV Scarlett Lucy on 21 May last year when a yacht, Sumatra II, sank in severe weather conditions in the Tasman Sea, 350 nautical miles off the Australian coast.

The Tasman Sea falls within Australia’s marine search and rescue area which includes the East Indian, South West Pacific and Southern oceans.

Australia nominated Mr Fanifau for his selfless act of bravery when he climbed over the side of the MV Scarlett Lucy and saved the life of a 71-year-old American, Dr Jerome Morgan, by holding him to the ship’s cargo net.

His act of bravery was made even more remarkable by the fact that he did not have time to secure a safety harness when he climbed over the ship’s side in heavy gale force conditions.

Officers, from the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre, who nominated Mr Fanifau for the award, noted it was one of the most courageous rescues they had witnessed in recent years.

Mr Fanifau will be a guest at a special reception to be hosted by the Australian High Commissioner in London, Mr John Dauth, on 22 November before receiving his award from the IMO.

This year, the IMO considered 31 international candidates for the award and Mr Fanifau was chosen by an eminent panel of judges before being accepted by the IMO’s governing council.

*ENDS*