One year after the Princess Ashika ferry sank in Ha'apai waters claiming 74 lives, the grieving families and friends of the victims gathered to hold memorials in Nuku'alofa yesterday.

A Flower Offering Ceremony was held at Sunset at Faua wharf, in memory of the late Mr Hiroshi Umeda (70) a Japanese Senior Volunteer who was one of a few foreign nationals who died the tragic sinking of the rusting ferry in the night of 5 August 2009.

The moving ceremony organised by the JICA office in Nuku'alofa brought together the Japanese community of volunteers and Tongans who held a memorial service and threw flowers and wreaths into the sea.

Previously in July, Hiroshi's son and grandson visited Tonga and sailed to the site where the vessel sank and laid their wreaths. The Japanese Ambassador HE Mr Yasuo Takase and other Japanese volunteers accompanied them on the TDS Voea.

Hiroshi Umeda worked in Tonga as a Marine Electrical Engineer for the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia.

A press statement from the JICA office said on this occasion they prayed for him and all those who lost their lives in this tragedy and offer flowers. They hoped not to repeat this kind of tragedy in the future and in this opportunity acknowledged the importance of life and safety.

Also attending the ceremony was the family of a Niuean policewoman who was lost in the sinking.

Tongan families

Later yesterday evening families who had lost loved ones and survivors of the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika attended a special screening of an Ashika documentary at the Four Seasons Resort at 'Umusi.

Organised by Digicel Tonga the screening of a documentary produced by TMN TV 2 began at 8pm and ended at midnight and attracted around 100 people.

The film contained combined shots starting from the arrival of the ferry to Tonga, the aftermath of the tragedy, families expressing their sorrows and the memorial services and speeches held after the vessel sank on August 5, 2009. The mood was sombre.

Memorial wall

Built through a private initiative a Memorial wall for the victims will be unveiled on Sunday August 8.

Fifty four memorial stones engraved with the names of the 74 people who died in the sinking of the Ashika have been set into thememorial wall at the Vaka Tau Mai cemetery on Vuna wharf.

Steve Edwards of SDE Memorial said the major donors to the memorial wall are Melie Mei Langi, SDE Memorial and Quality Block with collaboration from other private businesses.

He said there are 54 stones because he has combined the names of one family onto one stone and some families lost several members. Names are engraved on the memorial stones accompanied with their picture and place of origin.

The Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka is expected to attend as guest of honour, as well as church leaders, families and the public, who will attend a prayer service starting at 3pm.

Steve acknowledged Noble Fakafanua for allowing them to erect the memorial wall at Vaka Tau Mai cemetery.

Government

Meanwhile, the Government of Tonga on August 6 launched a Maritime Monument Design Competition to commemorate the lives of lost loved ones at sea in the sinking and other maritime disasters in Tonga.

The competition is open to the public, including students, who must submit their designs in the next two weeks before August 20. A first prize of $500 and a second prize of $200 is offered. The selection of the winning designs will be made on August 23.