‘Life and death’ at sea: log keeps Tonga’s ‘Aquaman’ from going under

By Jill Gralow

SYDNEY (Reuters) – A 57-year-old Tongan man being hailed a real-life Aquaman for surviving 27 hours at sea after Saturday’s devastating tsunami struck his island mentioned he went underneath 9 occasions earlier than latching onto a log and making it to security.

“On the eighth time I believed, the following time I am going underwater that’s it, as a result of my arms had been the one issues that had been retaining me above water,” mentioned Lisala Folau, who’s disabled and can’t stroll correctly, talking to Reuters from Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa.

“So the ninth time I went underneath and got here up and grabbed a log. And that’s what saved me going.”

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano killed no less than three folks and despatched tsunami waves rolling throughout the Tongan archipelago, damaging villages and resorts and knocking out communications for the nation’s 105,000 folks.

Folau, who lived on the remoted island of Atata, with a inhabitants of about 60 folks, was swept out to sea at round 7 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Saturday.

He had climbed a tree to flee a primary wave however when he bought down, one other huge wave swept him out.

“I may hear my son calling from land however I didn’t wish to reply my son as a result of I didn’t need him to swim out to search out me,” mentioned Folau.

“The waves saved twirling round right here and there … What got here to thoughts is, at sea there’s life and dying. Till you attain the shore, then you realize if you’re alive or lifeless.”

Folau mentioned he slowly managed to swim 7.5 km (4.7 miles) to the principle island of Tongatapu, reaching the shore 27 hours later at about 10 p.m. on Sunday.

His heroics have gone viral on social media, with one Fb submit calling him a “actual life Aquaman”, referring to the comedian ebook and movie character.

When requested if he knew who Aquaman was, Flolau mentioned he didn’t but.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the occasions.

Atata, about 8km northwest of Nuku’alofa, or a 30-minute boat trip, has been nearly solely destroyed within the tsunami that hit the islands.

(Reporting by Jill Gralow; Enhancing by Tom Hogue and Karishma Singh)