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...

The survivors are expected to arrive in Ha'afeva at 11 am today.

The MV Princess Ashika left Tongatapu at 4:30 pm yesterday and sailed to Ha'afeva, and was enroute to Pangai when it sent out a call for help just after midnight.

"It has happened. There are heaps of people on the scene and some survivors have been found. No bodies have been located at this point, but there are still people missing," Police Commander Chris Kelley confirmed.

"We are working on confirming details and will have a report out within half an hour," he said at 9 am.

Tonga's Minister of Transport Paul Karalus confirmed that the MV Princess Ashika had sunk and a major rescue operation is going on. Three ships are involved including a Tonga Defence Services ship; another ferry the MV Pulupaki and a cargo ship the MV Capt. Tasman.

Call for help

The Tonga Navy service confirmed that they got a call for help just after midnight last night.

The vessel was heading from Nuku'alofa to Ha'afeva in the Nomuka Islands group and is believed to have sunk about 86 kilometres (53 miles) northeast of the capital.

RNZAF Orion

A New Zealand Air force Orion has also been called in to help with the search for survivors. Rescue Co-ordination Centre officer Christine Wilson told AFP that they were broadcasting appeals for assistance from all vessels in the area and another Orion was on standby to join the search if required. The cause of the sinking was not immediately known and the weather in the area was moderate with 25 knot winds and a two to three-metre swell.

Crew and passengers

The ferry was brought to Tonga from Fiji this year to replace the old 'Olovaha passenger ferry because of fears that the 'Olovaha was no longer safe.

It is run by the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd. and a spokesperson at their office this morning said the boat went down at 12:30 am and there were 50 passengers on board, with a total of 80 people including crew. The Captain is Maka Tuputupu.

The MV Pulupaki which was also on its way to Ha'apai managed to do the first rescue and according to early reports 44 people were rescued so far, but 36 people are still missing.

The ferry was also carrying cargo for the outer islands including a new ambulance and new vehicles for the hospital in Vava'u.

New service

At the launching of the MV Princess Ashika ferry service in Tonga on July 4, Hon Paul Karalus said that MV Princess Ashika is 50 meters long and 11.5 meters wide and it was launched in 1975. He told the launching although the ship is older than the 26-year-old MV 'Olovaha, "she was well looked after and maintained".

The inter-island ferry service, a lifeline between the islands of Tonga has been disrupted during for many months due to engine problems with the MV 'Olovaha,/i>. The government brought in the MV Princess Ashika as a solution to the problem.

A new ferry for Tonga is to be ready in 2011 under a $35 million grant provided by the government of Japan for its construction.

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