Tutu village a forgotten rescue spot
TUTU Village, Northwest Choiseul is one of the forgotten spots in Solomon Islands where an American war air pilot was found and rescued during World War II.
He was rescued by the local men of the area after his plane was shot down by the Japanese causing it to crash into the sea outside Tutu Harbour.
According to Mr Nerio Ulemiki the media coordinator for Christ the King Parish at Voruvoru Northwest Choiseul, the soldier swam ashore onto the reef and sat on a rock to dry himself with the heat of the sun when locals on the lookout arrived at the scene and rescued him on which they cared for him until he was taken back to the Americans.
“The US army who went to Choiseul Province a few months back to do a check on their war relics visited the rescue spot and collected brief information of the crash,” said Mr Ulemiki.
“After collecting brief information, they had promised to return and dive for the missing plane,” he said.
“The landowners and descendants of the rescuers are still waiting for an update on the next US army visit to the spot in order for them to unveil all the information of the rescue mission then during World War II,” he said.