Inside the harrowing final moments of a young dad swept out to sea in front of his traumatised young family

Daily Mail​

22-05-2025

A shattered widow has described the distressing moment of helplessly watching her husband be swept off rocks into rough seas, never to be seen again.
Monitake 'Moni' Karakaua, 29, was fishing at Salmon Holes, near Albany in West Australia's Great Southern region with friends on Anzac Day when tragedy struck.
His wife Tongauea and two children had been watching from the shore when he lost his balance and fell from the rocks at the notorious spot into the treacherous surf.
It's understood his life jacket failed to inflate and he was unable to located by friends who had jumped into the water with buoys to rescue him.
An extensive multi-day search was launched but the Fijian national has never been found.
Mr Karakaua had just been reunited with his family in Australia, having moved ahead of them to start a new life in 2020.
His family arrived in Katanning just seven months ago.
Mr Karakaua and his wife had just celebrated 10th wedding anniversary.
'I had tried to tell him to come back (off the rocks) to the shore,' she told 7news.com.au.
'I witnessed everything. It's just devastating.
'I was helpless. My heart breaks.'
She described her husband as a workaholic, a man of faith and the ultimate family figure.
'No one can replace him, he's an incredible person,' she added.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by family friend Sharon Muir to help ease the financial burden and provide stability to the young family as they rebuild their lives.
'[Tongauea] faces an uncertain future and the overwhelming responsibility of raising their children alone,' the page states.
'They are now facing the difficult task of leaving Australia and returning to Fiji where they hope to find emotional support, extended family, and a chance to rebuild their lives.'
More than $5,000 has been raised.
Salmon Hole is renowned as a dangerous spot for fishing, where more than a dozen people have died or gone missing since the 1980s.
In 2021, the state government made it mandatory for fishermen in the area to wear life jackets, following a two year trial.
Free lifejackets are available for hire at five locations across Albany.
Parks and Wildlife Service WA warned about the dangers of the Salmon Holes just weeks before Mr Karakaua went missing.
'Don't risk it', the post read.
'Rock fishing is extremely dangerous and people have lost their lives from slipping or being washed into the ocean by large waves, gusty winds and slippery surfaces.
'Use the anchor points installed at Salmon Holes and wear a lifejacket, or better still, fish from the beach and keep the sand between your toes!'
It's known if the lifejacket worn by Mr Karakaua had been on loan from the the state government.