Tavita Milford joined the police force because of the inspiring way police helped him through the tragedy of losing his father in the Francie boating tragedy. Photo / Supplied
Tavita Milford joined the police force because of the inspiring way police helped him through the tragedy of losing his father in the Francie boating tragedy. Photo / Supplied
Tavita Milford was so moved by how police helped his family after his father was swept away in the Francie fishing boat tragedy in Northland in 2016, he has joined the force himself.
Milford this week graduated from the Royal New Zealand Police College, vowing to give back to the community in the same way his family received help at their time of greatest need.
Milford's father Taulagi Afamasaga, 56, was one of eight men to drown when charter boat Francie was flipped by a huge wave while trying to cross a sandbar in the Kaipara Harbour.
Afamasaga's body was found nine days after the capsizing when it washed up on shore.
"I was so impressed with how police helped us during what was for our family, a really tragic time, I wanted to join police to help people too – especially those in my community," Milford said.
And Milford wasn't the only one inspired to sign up for the force.
His brother-in-law Constable Sam Yerro also joined police as a result of the way officers helped the family.
Taulagi Afamasaga - photographed with Junior Tiaiti and Ale Iolamo in 2007 - died when the Francie charter boat capsized. Photo / Janna Dixon
Inspector Willi Fanene, from Counties Manukau Police, said all the men on Francie at the time of the tragedy - apart from the skipper - were of Pacific Island descent.
Four of the deceased men were Tongan, one was Samoan and one was of Cook Island descent.
This led police to task Pacific Island staff with cultural and language knowledge to support the families of the deceased.
"We had Tongan, Samoan and Cook Island officers assigned to each family," Fanene said.
He said Constable Yerro had also told him a similar story of how he was directly inspired directly by the officers that supported Afamasaga's family.
"I am so proud that we could make such a good impression on these young men at such a tragic time in their lives," he said.
The 10 fishing enthusiasts who were thrown into the ocean when the Francie capsized had regularly chartered the boat skippered by Bill McNatty for other fishing trips.
But on that November day, the 12m boat flipped when it tried to re-enter the Kaipara Harbour in 4m waves.
Police said the entrance to the Kaipara Harbour had long been known as one of the most treacherous stretches of water in New Zealand.
Police, rescue helicopters, the Royal NZ Navy and Coastguard NZ teams were all involved in the search for the boat when it was reported missing.
Amy Yerro, daughter of Francie sinking victim Taulagi Afamasaga. Photo / Doug Sherring
Amy Yerro, the daughter of Afamasaga and husband of Constable Yerro, told the Herald in the months after the tragedy there was not a day that passed in which the family didn't think of their father.
"He was a real joker, he loved teasing the kids. It's heartbreaking to know I will never see him again," she said.
Her brother Milford graduated from police Wing 328 yesterday and will now be based in Auckland's Waitemata district alongside her husband Constable Yerro.
