A 13-month-old girl tragically lost her life on Friday, July 28, after she fell from the deck of a catamaran boat while her parents were preparing dinner in the galley below.
According to Fiji police, the little girl, Māhina Toki, had been fastened into a harness on the deck, watching a movie, when the incident happened at Musket Cove in western Fiji.
The parents, Mark and Kiri Toki from New Zealand, located their daughter’s body in the water and quickly moved to the shore to attempt resuscitation. Other sailors in the vicinity, including doctors and nurses, reportedly tried to help but the young child could not be revived.
A crowdfunding page was established by Grace Palos, stating that Māhina had been tied to the boat before she “worked herself free and found the water.”
Māhina Toki was described as a lively child who loved the water and boat life. Her parents plan to return to their home in Great Barrier Island, New Zealand.
Authorities in Fiji are examining the circumstances of the toddler’s death.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family.
