Maintenance work on Te Kukupa II is complete, and the Cook Islands maritime patrol vessel is on its way home.

Cook Islands Police media officer Trevor Pitt confirmed that the vessel made a stop in Suva, Fiji, en route to Rarotonga.

Commander Tuariki Henry told Police Media that the vessel successfully completed sea trials following maintenance work in Cairns and departed Australia on October 20.

The repair work was carried out to fix the crankshaft fault issue that was discovered when the vessel returned from a regional fisheries surveillance operation earlier this year.

The crew and Te Kukupa II are scheduled to arrive at the Avatiu Port by the end of the month.

Meanwhile, two of the crew seamen, Richard Davey and Ataela Ataela, both graduated from their Marine Engineering Level 1 course last month at TAFE Queensland in Australia.

The duo underwent a nine-week training course on Guardian propulsion, auxiliary systems, and engineering tools and safety.

• Losirene Lacanivalu/Police