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Tonga Ferry Sinks: 93 Missing, 54 Survivors from Princess Ashika

by cyn.khoo | August 8, 2009 at 04:06 pm

1241 views | 2 Recommendations | 12 comments

On Wednesday, August 5, the Tongan ferry Princes Ashika capsized and sank between Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga, and Ha'afeva, in the South Pacific Ocean.

As of Saturday, August 8, 93 people are missing and feared dead, most of whom may have been women and children. 54 people have been rescued and two bodies--a British man residing in New Zealand and a Polynesian woman--have been recovered, out of a total 149 people on the ferry.

According to Police Chief Inspector Sokopeti To'ia, authorities are still investigating who and how many people were onboard the ferry when it sank. Navy divers from Australia and New Zealand are assisting the search and recovery process.

Although water clarity was good, the sea bed where the ferry went down is uneven and up to 330 feet (100 meters) deep in places, making conditions difficult, To'ia said.

The Tongan government has received heat over the Tonga ferry disaster, with many Tongans accusing the government of neglect for allowing an over 30-year-old vessel to sail. Tongan Prime Mister Feleti Sevele maintained that the ship had been shown to be safe.

"It was tested, it passed, therefore it was able to get the sea worthiness certificate, plus the Marine insurance cover."

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Sioto Fine (not verified)

at 14:18 on August 10th, 2009

the ferry was put into the ultimate test and it failed. the government should stop this kind of excuses. also the captain was not worthy of the job. he should be punished for the crime he commit against innocent people that have been killed or missing in the ferry.

Secret Agent/ U.S. (not verified)

at 14:33 on August 25th, 2009

Ko e ngoto 'o e vaka ke faka'asi e ngaue kaka 'a e pule'anga pea mo e ngaue kaka 'a e kau kiss azz ki he kau ma'olunga this is the only way to show to the world how awful the way the government run the Kingdom of Tonga and especially the Prime Minister having his own brother in law become the minister for the this job which he has no experience and further more, they only chose who do they want to become as they buddy, Tonga should come to a change, We need better leaders, Feleti Sevele kiss ass to the royals and will cheated that is how they bought the Princess Ashika for a less amount and told to the people the Princess was bought worth of $600,000 pull grabbed it was only casuse for the amount of $60,000 who pocket the rest of the money, good thinking the Prime Minster, the tricks work but who is going to pay for the life of each family member they have lost their lives. Feleti Sevele that is your job to over look everything that is going on in Tonga instead of using the government to rent movies (blue) in Aostralia with young girls and left the people sit on the street and try to make a living, Feleti Sevele should repent and pay people their life, if I were Feleti and the Minista Paul Kalaus should hang themsel Paul what you have done to our people are very, very, very, selfish and dishonest, you can call anything about them twos. Good thing this did not happen here at the U.S. other wise the government will sued their azz big time and they will hang them.

Mou (not verified)

at 16:52 on August 10th, 2009

We can not bring back what is behind and we can not turns the hands of time. But we can make it better for tomorrow, the government and the people of Tonga. Lets starts over a close relationship and stop blaming each other

I am a witness of about what happen, i lost close friends and friends, and it will stays in my memory forever.

Michie (not verified)

at 19:04 on August 10th, 2009

Ko e me'a pe ke mahino heni 'oku totonu ke 'oua 'e toe tuli tonuhia e pule'anga.'Oku totonu ke kole fkmolemole e pule'anga kihe ngaahi famili kuo huki tonu ai e mamahi.Kapau te tau vakai kihe puipuitu'a 'oe vaka kuo fuoloa ta'u 'ene faifatongia.Kaekehe koe me'a fklanga'imamahi 'ae toe feinga 'a e ongo minisitaa(Paul &Seta)ke fklaloa'i holo e pule'anga.Fai mo mou tala mahino mai koe sino 'oe kau kei mole he 'ikai pe ke toe lava 'o kumi(tukukehe ka mana 'a langi)kae 'oua mu'a 'e toe talamai 'oku kei puli.'Oku ou fiekaungamamahi mo si'i ngaahi famili kuo huki tonu ai e faingata'a.Fktauange pe 'e tokoni mai 'a langi ke fknonga e popo'uli kuo hoko.

mele (not verified)

at 18:54 on August 12th, 2009

i think the prime minster feleti sevele shoule get a big kick up the azz or get kick out of the fale alea for being so dum

SITIVENI 'ATUEKAHO (not verified)

at 14:29 on August 13th, 2009

Koe me'a 'eni 'oku ui koe kai pakupaku'i he kau taki 'a e ???. Totonu pe ke nau fai ha ngaahi me'a ke fakafiemalie'i e ngaahi famili moe ngaahi kaungame'a 'oku huki tonu ai 'ae faingata'a ni. 'Oku tokolahi hoku ngaahi famili mo hoku ngaahi friends 'oku mole 'enau mo'ui 'i he faingata'a nae 'ikai ke totonu ke hoko ka koe 'uhi koe ta'etokanga pea na'e ta'e tokanga pea 'oku ta'e tokanga 'ae PULE'ANGA. 'Oku totonu kie fetongi kotoa 'ae kau taki moe kau pule 'oe PORT OF AUTHORITY. Me'a ni 'oku 'ikai ke mou lava ke fakahoko totonu ho'omou ngaue?

lenga (not verified)

at 01:41 on August 18th, 2009

kuo au e puleanga ki he mea oku ui koe siokita kane tuku pe a Uliti ke tauataina ne no proplem ikai mua ke nau fai ha mea e taha ke siaa ka ka kuo piss atu he piss atu he, koee kuo puiti, koe tuu he tainimi oua na mou pehe e lelei homau loto ha taimi

lolomasi (not verified)

at 16:45 on August 20th, 2009

we should look into the cause,, what is the major cause of this tragedy events..as far as cause and effect concept is concern but let me give you this two premise and i leave it to you to absorb your own conclusion..A. " Power corrupts and absolute power corrupt absolutely"

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