Count of missing grows to 85 in Ashika disaster [1]
Saturday, August 8, 2009 - 11:52. Updated on Thursday, August 6, 2015 - 12:00.
The number of people missing in Tonga's Ashika ferry disaster has grown to 85 today.
"The news is not good, we now have the names of 141 people who were on the Ashika, as a result of statements taken from survivors," Police Commander Chris Kelley, told a media conference this morning. "And that number may be more."
"The list of those on board has grown from 79 to 141 in the last 24 hours," Commander Kelley said. This is the figure known on Day Three 58 hours after the sinking.
So far 26 passengers and 28 crew have survived, and two bodies have been recovered.
"This marine disaster is a tragedy of huge proportions for this country," Commander Kelley news media. Television teams, radio and newspaper journalists from New Zealand arrived on an RNZAF flight in the early hours of this morning with a navy dive team.
The dive team will do reconaissance work today.
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