By: Nanise Volau
A Fijian missionary serving in Africa and his teenage son are among passengers of a small single engine aircraft that have been reported missing in Kenya yesterday.
The Suva headquarters of the Christian Mission Fellowship International today confirmed that Pastor Sakaraia Mataka and his 15-year old son Paula Tekei are among the missing.
The church said the missionary and his family have been working in a small, remote town of Kitale in Nairobi for more than 10 years.
They were on their way to Fiji and had boarded the Cesna C208 aircraft from Kitale bound for Nairobi International Airport together with six other passengers and the two female pilots.
The two pilots were reported to be experienced and it is feared the aircraft flew into bad weather over Aberdare forests, 60-kilometres from its destination. This was where the aircraft last signals were traced.
The flight usually takes an hour.
CMF International in a media statement said Pastor Mataka is originally from Udu in Vanua Levu.
Church President and Founder, the Reverend Suliasi Kurulo says Pastor Mataka is a faithful and committed servant of the Lord, and the church continues to stand prayerful and hopeful as the search continues.