Operation Ashika this afternoon released 37 names, on the first confirmed list of passengers and crew missing following the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika on August 5, 2009.
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Results for Outer Islands
Thursday 13 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Thursday 13 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A grieving father, Rev. Sione Taufa (63), was thankful today after he was allowed to see his daughter Vaefetu'u Mahe (22), whose body was the second and last to be recovered after the tragic sinking of the MV Princess Ashika on August 5.
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Wednesday 12 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Devastated mother, 'Iunisi Latu (42) of Halaleva is mourning the loss of two daughters Lima Lei (nee 'Alimoni) and Mele 'Alimoni who are among the missing on the MV Princess Ashika sinking in Ha'apai on August 5.
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Wednesday 12 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An underwater search team has this morning, August 12, located what appears to be the sunken vessel Princess Ashika, lying upright in 110 metres of water, at the position indicated by the emergency beacon and final radio call, 11 nautical miles south southwest of Nomuka in the Ha'apai Group.
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Tuesday 11 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga police have identified the female body recovered from the sea, as 22-year-old wife and mother, Vaefetu'u Mahe (nee Taufa) of Vava'u, whose husband and child are among the 93 still missing after the sinking of MV Princess Ashika on August 5.
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Tuesday 11 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A rope believed to be associated with the MV Princess Ashika wreckage was located yesterday evening within the vicinity of the original search area of the first mission by the TDS Voea Savea patrol vessel, Commander Andrew McMillan said this morning.
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Monday 10 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
No wreckage or bodies from the MV Princess Ashika were found yesterday in the first underwater mission conducted by the combined Australia and New Zealand Dive team, using underwater-specialised search equipment.
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Monday 10 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa,Tonga
Sunday was a sombre day in Tonga with many people wearing black, and attending church services where they remembered the missing and the dead, and gave thanks for those who survived the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika on August 5.
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Sunday 9 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Energetic and outgoing, a young Niuean policewoman Sisiliah Puleheloto (24) is remembered as a happy, smiling person who loved serving her own community and the people in the Solomons, where she was working on the RAMSI mission, before coming to Tonga last week for a joyful reunion with her cousins. By Linny Folau
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Sunday 9 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The number of missing from the MV Princess Ashika ferry sinking continues to grow, with 93 persons unaccounted for today, and only two bodies recovered. ANZ navy divers returned to the location today in a continuing search for the sunken vessel on a hilly seabed at depths of up to 100 meters in Ha'apai waters.
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Saturday 8 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The number of people missing in Tonga's Ashika ferry disaster has grown to 85 today.
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Saturday 8 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The MV Princess Ashika was taking in water faster than the crew could bail it out, when a large wave struck and the ferry overturned, sinking almost instantly, a survivor, Viliami Latu Mohenoa (32) told Matangi Tonga Online this afternoon, July 7. By Linny Folau
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Saturday 8 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
There was a mixture of joy and sadness at the Fua'amotu domestic airport when 32 of the 53 survivors from MV Princess Ashika ferry sinking returned to Tongatapu on a Chatham Airline flight at 1.30 pm today. Photos by Linny Folau and Pesi Fonua.
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Friday 7 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Navy divers from New Zealand and Australia have been asked to come into Tonga to reach the sunken ferry MV Princess Ashika that is lying in over 36m (100 feet) of water, possibly holding the bodies of dozens of trapped victims.
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Friday 7 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A total of 62 people are missing at sea and this number may grow, said Police Commander Chris Kelley, this morning, as there is great difficulty in trying to reconcile passenger figures after the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika in Ha'apai waters late on August 5.
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Thursday 6 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A total of 55 people are accounted for but an unconfirmed number are still missing at sea after the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika in Ha'apai, waters last night, and now nearly 24 hours after the disaster families in Tonga and abroad are trying to come to terms with their losses.
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Thursday 6 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Rescued from the sea, a young Ha'afeva man Siaosi Lavaka said that he saw one body recovered and that only the men had reached the lifeboats after the MV Princess Ashika was overturned by heavy seas around midnight last night. He fears that all the women and children went down with the boat.
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Thursday 6 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Of the 96 people who left Nuku'alofa on board the MV Princess Ashika, yesterday, according to the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd. list released at around midday today, the known survivors include 27 crew and 23 passengers, at this early stage thought to be all male.
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Thursday 6 August 2009
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's passenger ferry MV Princess Ashika sank at sea shortly after midnight last night, with 80 people on board. A major search and rescue operation is underway looking for about 36 missing crew and passengers, while the 44 believed rescued are being taking to Ha'afeva by the MV Pulupaki the first rescue vessel to reach the scene. Breaking News...
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Tuesday 28 July 2009
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Pangai, Ha'apai
The Pacific Partnership Mission left Ha'apai on Saturday, July 25 following the successful completion of a humanitarian and civic mission that refurbished primary schools, fixed community facilities and treated over 4,000 patients.
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