Photos by Mosese Fakatou

A welder and fitter for the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd Manase Katoa, in his testimony this morning at the Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika reaffirmed the advanced level of rust and corrosion of the vessel and how unfit it was to operate in Tonga.

On Day Three of the inquiry, Manase (43), a welder of 20 years work experience with the shipping company, he said that when he saw the ferry in Nuku'alofa on 1 July he noticed the advanced level of corrosion and rust it had and noted that it was not suitable to be used.

He told the Commission that when he and other welders, under the direction of foreman Sateki Tupou started working on the vessel on July 2, the amount of corrosion and rust on the ferry was visible "and anyone who boarded the Ashika would have noticed it too."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From July 2 to August 4 Manase said they carried out repair work on the vessel, included the welding of heavily corroded areas and a hole on one side of the vessel.

The witness was shown a photograph of his brother Metilini welding the wall on one side of the vessel. He identified that his brother was trying to fix a hole on the cargo deck. He estimated the hole to be about two feet by two feet, and it was caused by a wave on one of ferry's voyages.

He said that the surrounding area, where his brother was welding was also highly corroded and he agreed to a suggestion made by counsel Manuel Varitimos that a child between the age of five and six could have easily kicked opened this side due its being heavily corroded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manase also testified that the floor of the cargo deck was also rusted through and corroded, and he was concerned about its strength particularly when cargo was loaded on board by forklift.

When asked why he was concerned, he said because the forklift could have fallen through the floor. He voiced his concern to his foreman who instructed them to get metal sheets, which they put on deck for the forklift to run on when loading cargo.

The 25 slide photos were provided by Commander Lupeti Vi.


Leaking pipe

Manase confirmed that on August 4, the day before the Ashika set sail he repaired a corroded fuel pipe that was leaking in the vessel's engine room. He worked at the shipping workshop from 8:30am to 4:30pm then from 6pm to 10pm on the Ashika.

He said that there was still a lot of repair work to be done on the vessel before it left on August 5 on its final voyage.

Manase is the second witness to reaffirm the level of corrosion and holes on the MV Princess Ashika.