Fearful passengers wanted Ashika to return to Nuku'alofa [1]
Thursday, November 12, 2009 - 17:33. Updated on Sunday, May 11, 2014 - 11:42.
A 70 year old passenger who survived the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika but lost his wife and young daughter, told the Royal Commission of Inquiry this morning that during the fatal voyage he had asked Captain Maka Tuputupu to return to Nuku'alofa after seeing water coming through the ramp on the cargo deck.
Tevita Lotaki Kanongata'a gave evidence for the first time this morning and confirmed that he spoke with the captain after 11pm about their concern with the water coming into the cargo area and asked to return to the capital given the fact that Malinoa Island was still in sight and they were closer to Nuku'alofa than to Ha'apai.
"I told him please return to Nuku'alofa because we had children and our wives onboard and I was also concerned for myself because I was too old to swim."
The witness said the captain responded that he saw it and his crew had also reported it to him and illustrated that he knew how much water the cargo deck would take in different stages of their voyage.
The witness also agreed with a suggestion made by the Assisting Counsel to the Commission, Manuel Varitimos, that the captain expected a certain amount of water at different stages of their voyage. And he believed that the captain accepted the fact that the vessel was taking on water, due to the illustration he gave him. The captain also told the witness if there was too much water taken in he would run the vessel onto a reef.
Water coming in
The witness said he first saw water coming in from underneath and from both sides of the ramp on the cargo deck about two and a half hours from Nuku'alofa. At this time they had not reached Malinoa Island. The second time he went down to the cargo area was with a ship agent to get his bed because it was getting dark and cold and he saw the water coming in. The witness went down to the cargo area four times during the voyage.
Passengers concerned
A seafaring man himself, the witness was concerned with the sight of water coming through and not seeing it go out because it was not normal and he went up and told his wife that the vessel had holes. And because he was the most senior he was encouraged by other passengers to go and see the captain and raise their concern.
He said he went up to the bridge and a crew member was currently steering but the captain was there. "I asked him please return to Nuku'alofa because we, our children and wives, were onboard and in addition, Malinoa was still in sight and we were nearer to Nuku'alofa than Ha'apai."
He said after the captain responded illustrating the water expected to take in, he went back and told the concerned passengers including his wife about their conversion and they were satisfied with the result. He recollected that when he was making his way down from the bridge it was very difficult because the vessel was already leaning towards the port (left) side. And then the speaker system relayed a message from the bridge for all crew and able passengers to go down and help bail out water in the cargo.
This was 15 minutes before the vessel sank, said the witness who went down to help bail out water but a crew came up and said not to go down because they would drown and he was already wet.
"I did not see any crew bailing out water but he said at this time all of the cargoes had moved towards port side and vehicles were moving from side to side even the pieces of timber. The water had filled over half of the deck especially to the port side because the cargo had moved there."
Tried to reach family
He said if he had gone down he would have drowned so he tried to get back to the passenger cabin to his wife and daughter. He said a second loud speaker said for everyone to go to the centre of the passenger deck but he did not because he saw some crew and passengers standing along the railing towards the stern on the open side.
"I heard a crew Uasike Tupou telling passengers to go to the stern open area and at this time people had already climbed over the railing and were standing holding on to it. I heard them being told to move from the area because they would fall down to the propeller."
The witness confirmed that most of the passengers were still in the passenger cabin when the vessel started to sink, tilting to the port (left) side with the bow first to submerge. He said in seconds it turned upside down and disappeared and he was hit by something and fell into the ocean from where was rescued onto a life raft.
The witness who got separated from wife, in a heartfelt moment tearfully recalled his wife telling him not to worry about them and to try and save himself for the sake of their remaining children.