Danston’s Perseverance to Sharing the Tale of a 63 Year Old Mystery
BY ALEX DADAMU
It has been 63 years since the Government Vessel, R.C.S. Melanesian served the Solomons and subsequently went missing without trace on 10th July 1958 with reportedly 64 persons on-board.
According to reports, R.C.S Melanesian left Sulufou Island to Sikaiana in Malaita province and took on-board a total of 64 people including seven expatriates.
Danston Vangana, 47, from Vurango Village in North West Choiseul told Tourism Media SI that it was a familiar story being passed down from generations – that his great Grandfather by the name of Nolvagege, was among the 64 person who went missing along with the ship in that ill-fated voyage.
In an interview with Tourism Media Solomon Islands in Taro, Choiseul Province recently, Danston said his great-grandfather worked as a crew in the ship.
“The ship had visited Vurango Village in Choiseul not long before it went on the trip to Sulufou in Malaita and then went on the proposed voyage to Sikaiana where it met its fate.
“And that visit to our village was the last time anyone have ever saw my grandfather alive again, before he went missing, forever,” Danston said.
He said that for them, it’s been 4 generations since the ill-fated Voyage and life have moved on however, for himself, this piece of history is significant and worth teaching the younger generations who might not know the story.
Danston came to a conclusion early last year when his last-born daughter was born, to name her after the very ship that went missing, ‘Melanesian.’
“I was asked numerous time why didn’t I name my daughter after my grandfather who went missing with that voyage however, I replied that I have to tell this piece of significant history.
“My idea was to name my daughter after the ship and because it is an unusual name, people will tend to ask why did I name my daughter, Melanesian – in that way I can explain and address the historical event to whoever is asking and listening,” Danston said with a faraway look in his eyes.
He further expressed that when his daughter grow up she will then pass on why she was named ‘Melanesian’ thus fulfilling the intention of naming her the name in the first place.
Meanwhile, reports cited stated that after the ship’s mysterious disappearance on its way for Sikaiana, a call was made for the Australian army to conduct extensive sea and air search – which was done for 10 days but however failed to locate any survivors.
The report stated that limited wreckage began washing up on the east Malaita coast on 18 July 1958, but only one partial body was ever found, that of Reef-Islands boatswain, David Daewo, who washed ashore at Ma’anawai.
“It was believed the other 63 passengers are all presumed to have disappeared with the ship.
“A subsequent enquiry suggested the ship sunk quickly, but an extensive investigation never released a conclusive report,” the report stated.
