Three girls die in suspected drownings at Wailoaloa Beach

Three girls aged five, seven and eight have died in two separate suspected drowning incidents at Wailoaloa Beach in Nadi on 10 November.

In the first incident, bystanders found two girls, aged seven and eight, floating in the water near the beach. The girls had gone there for a picnic with their mother.

In a separate incident at the same beach, bystanders found a five-year-old girl floating near the shoreline. She had gone to the beach for a picnic with her father.

Police will investigate both incidents for possible negligence.

Fiji’s national drowning toll stands at 50, up from 31 at the same point last year. Police urged parents and caregivers to closely supervise children in and around water.