Underwater ROV identifies Ashika [1]
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 - 13:42. Updated on Thursday, August 6, 2015 - 13:17.
OPERATION ASHIKA
Day 13 Press Release Report Tuesday 18th August 2009
The New Zealand Navy Vessel HMNZS MANAWANUI and the Tonga Defence Vessel VOEA SAVEA left Nuku'alofa yesterday the 17th August 2009.
HMNZS MANAWANUI has commenced operations overnight.
At 0800hrs this morning Tuesday the 18th August 2009 the remote underwater vehicle (ROV) formally identified the vessel on the seafloor as the Princess Ashika. The ROV did this by viewing the nameplate.
Conditions at the site are not favourable but the Navy Team are continuing throughout the day with their ROV Operations.
Lt. Commander McMillan will give what limited information we have.
We do not expect to have any pictures or detailed information until the vessel has returned to Nuku'alofa in all likelihood tomorrow Wednesday 19th of August 2009.
Some analysis will be required before any pictures are released and we are currently aiming to do so on Thursday 20th August 2009.
Our passenger and crew reconciliation team have made excellent progress in the last 48hrs with the list of names given to police from all sources rising to 151.
As at 1030hrs this morning we can confidently say that the number of persons reported on board the vessel now stands at 129.
Tonga Police can confirm 54 survivors, 2 deceased persons located and 73 persons are now known to have been on board and remain unaccounted for.
The reason for the decrease in numbers from 151 to 129 comes after detailed checking, confirmation inquiries with relatives, establishing correct identities with manifest records and statements of survivors who remember people on board.
Of the 73 persons unaccounted for we can say that 67 are confirmed as having been on board at the time of sinking and that list is available to the public.
We are left with 6 unconfirmed persons, 4 of whom we believe are foreign nationals whose identity we know but do not have confirmation as having been sighted on board.
We have another name which we believe to be a foreign national but no evidence or information from any one that the individual was on board.
The sixth person is a Tongan name which we are following up and hope to be able to determine.
The body of British national the late Daniel McMillan will leave the Kingdom on Thursday 20th August 2009 for New Zealand.
Police are confident that the figure of 129 persons known to have been on board will be close to the final passenger and crew list.
We cannot discount the possibility that someone else was on board who is not listed or known to us through our inquiries to date.
The Tonga Defence support vessel is assisting operations at the site and will carry out further search checks on this voyage.
A small team from Ha'apai is also carrying out inquiries and checks at the islands in Ha...Â’apai.
Our Investigation Team continues with its inquiries.
Chris Kelley
Police Commander
Tonga.