First American Samoans graduate from commercial diving school

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —  Peter Taliva’a, from Leloaloa/ Aunu’I Island, and Richard Salanoa, from Tula/ Fagaalu, graduated from the Commercial Diving International in Arizona in November after an intense five months of training. Taliva’a and Salanoa learned about underwater welding, surface-supplied diving, ships husbandry and hyperbaric chamber operations. 

Taliva’a was sponsored by his employer, Crux Diving & Salvage Inc., and will be employed as lead diver and boat captain. Salanoa will be a diver.

Peter Taliva’a, whose parents are Pita & Selina Faumuina Taliva’a, says “To God be all the glory! A big fa'afetai tele lava to Mr. Dave Cleary and family, to my wife Eleitino Sagale, Baby Ariel and Samuel Talivaa, (MIL) Julia Sagale, friends and families for all your prayers and continuous support during my 5 months of dive school training. Looking forward to assisting our people of American Samoa, StarKist, Federal Agencies and private sectors.”