On July 7, 1962 the "Tuaikaepau" ('Slow But Sure'), a Tongan vessel on its way to New Zealand, struck the reefs. This wooden vessel was built in 1902 at the same yard as the "Strathcona". The crew and passengers survived by living in the remains of a Japanese freighter. There they remained for three months and several died. Without tools, Captain Tēvita Fifita built a small boat using wood recovered from the ship. With this raft, named "Malolelei" ('Good Day'), he and several others sailed to Fiji in one week.