A toddler from New Zealand recently died in a tragic accident on her parents' catamaran off the coast of Fiji. Mahina Toki had turned 13 months old just the day before. Her parents thought they had secured her well in a harness when they left her alone to cook dinner. Somehow Mahina escaped the harness and fell overboard, eventually drowning near Musket Cove on July 28.
Mahina's parents, Mark and Kiri Toki, found their daughter's body floating in the water and rushed to shore to seek help to revive her. Sadly, it was too late. Mahina was already gone. Fellow sailors began a fundraiser for the Toki family that, according to the Daily Mail, raised more than $28,000 before it was made private.
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Mahina was reportedly watching a movie when her parents last saw her alive.
The toddler was on the deck of her family's catamaran, Kalamari, watching a movie to keep her occupied while her parents cooked dinner in the galley below. According to other cruisers, that is a common practice.
Island Cruising New Zealand President Viki Moore told the Daily Mail that people are often tethered to a boat while sailing, but she admitted she didn't have any details. "I don't know what happened in this case, but it is very sad,” she said.
Several people tried to help revive Mahina.
When the family finally got to shore with Mahina's body, they desperately tried to get help. Other sailors nearby, including doctors and nurses, reportedly tried to help. Sadly, the young child could not be revived, devastating her family and the entire community.
The incident came as a shock to the sailing community.
Musket Cove Island Resort Manager Joe Mar told the Daily Mail he couldn't believe what happened.
"The family rushed into shore to seek help and a lot of people rushed to their aid, but unfortunately couldn't revive her," he remarked.
Friends in the sailing community put together a fundraiser to help the family.
Grace Palos, called a "fellow cruiser," began a Give a Little campaign to raise money for Mahina's final expenses. The fundraiser is now private, but according to the New York Post, text on the page shared that Mahina was a "beautiful, happy, smiling child who loved the water and life on the boat."
Her mother reportedly said the little girl's eyes "looked into your soul from the day she was born."
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The family is reportedly in the midst of returning to New Zealand.
The family, originally from Great Barrier Island, is apparently picking up their lives and heading back to New Zealand, according to the Give a Little page. Palos created the fundraiser to help with those efforts, per the Daily Mail.
"The cruisers of Musket Cove are humbly asking for your assistance in raising funds for the family to help cover the cost of flights back home, funeral expenses and anything else Mark & Kiri need as they move forward. To the beloved Mahina, may you forever live in peace, splashing with joy somewhere in the sea," the site reads, according to the Daily Mail.
Although many believe it was a tragic accident, Mahina's death is under investigation by the Fijian police, the New Zealand Herald reported.
