A father who was injured in a car accident two years ago will now have to face life alone after his only child, a 17-year-old son who was involved in an accident on New Year’s Day, passed away at the Lautoka Hospital last night.

The 17-year-old was one of the four passengers involved in the country’s first fatal accident for this year.

His first cousin was the 22-year-old driver who died on New Year’s Day.

Village headman of Vitogo village in Lautoka Ratu Josua Sovasova said the 17-year-old boy’s mother died in 2009 from an illness and his father who is a cane farmer survived a car accident in 2011.

Sovasova said the father broke down in tears when he received the news of the death.

He said the village elders have decided that the 17-year-old boy and his cousin the 22-year-old driver will be buried on the same day sometime this week.

Preparations for their funerals are underway with sheds now being put up.

Meanwhile, a third passenger, also a 17-year-old, is now in a stable condition in hospital.

The other two 19-year-old passengers have been discharged.


Story by: Tokasa Rainima