The yacht Sea Oak, allegedly the scene of a murder in Vava'u last year, which was seized in Pago Pago, American Samoa, has been taken off the island and its whereabouts remain unknown.

The Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu said today a request was made to the United States Government to seize and return the Sea Oak yacht on November 2, 2016.

The yacht was initially under American Samoan jurisdiction.

He said earlier this month on 8 March they were informed that this was no longer the case.

"The whereabouts of the yacht is currently unknown as it was removed from American Samoa without knowledge of their authorities. Efforts are in progress to locate and repatriate the vessel to Tonga.”

Re-registered?

Matangi Tonga had earlier received unconfirmed reports from a reader that the yacht had been re-registered in another name, said to be "Sea Osk".

It was said the yacht was removed from Pago Pago and sold in Fiji, with the ownership registered in the name of Dean Fletcher's mother's maiden name.

Meanwhile, the Acting Attorney General said they do not know if the yacht is in Fiji.

“If it was we would have made a request to Fiji as well.”

Dean Jay Fletcher, an American citizen is accused of murdering his wife Patricia Linne Kearney, a Canadian, in July 2016 when he allegedly assaulted her on this yacht, while anchored at Vava'u.

He escaped from police custody in Neiafu on the yacht and was arrested in Pago Pago. He is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals in Hawaii.

Tonga has applied for his extradition to be returned to stand trial for murder in Nuku'alofa.