Tonga

Sixty-six feared dead in South Pacific ferry disaster

Article published on the 2009-08-07 Latest update 2009-08-07 11:53 TU

The Princess Ashika, which sank off the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa.
(Photo: Reuters)

Hopes are fading for survivors of an open water ferry disaster in the South Pacific on Wednesday near the capital of Tonga. Only 53 survivors have been rescued from the Princess Ashika, which is believed to have been carrying 119 passengers to Ha’afeva.

There has been difficulty reconciling the number of people aboard, with the names of 15 survivors not on the passenger list.

Most of the passengers were Tongan but the incomplete passenger lists carry the names of British, German, French and Japanese nationals. Two bodies have been recovered so far, including that of a British man.

Dive teams from New Zealand and Australian are due to fly in later on Friday to recover more bodies.

The 34-year-old Princess Ashika lies in 35 metres of water after it sank within minutes off the Tongan capital, Nuku’alofa. Survivors say the vessel became unstable after cargo moved in the hold.

On Friday mourners gathered at the wharf in Nuku'alofa, expressing grief and anger that the vessel was allowed to sail. There has been controversy over the ferry, which kept breaking down after it was bought from Fiji in July. A new ferry was due to go into service in 2011.