The tragedy of the MV Princess Ashika sinking is that the causes of the disaster were all easily preventable and the 74 deaths were completely senseless, an inquiry into the sinking of the Tongan ferry on August 5 last year, has concluded.

"It was scandalous that such a maritime disaster could ever have been allowed to occur. It was a result of systemic and individual failures, "the Final Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Sinking of the MV Princess Ashika stated.

The report identifies the former Minister of Transport, Paul Karalus; and the Managing Director of the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd, John Jonesse, as being responsible for the convincing of the Tongan government to purchase the MV Princess Ashika, without a due diligence report or a proper seaworthy survey being carried out on the 37 year old vessel. The crew of the vessel had also failed to appreciate the danger and take actions to abandon ship.

Appalling condition

"The MV Princess Ashika was unquestionably unseaworthy and in an appalling condition. It should never have been allowed to sail in Tonga under any conditions. Any suggestion to the contrary, including by Mr. John Jonesse (the CEO of Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Limited until he was suspended by the Board of Shipping Corporation on 6th November 2009) and Mr. Paul David Karalus (the former Minister for Transport), to the effect that the vessel was in good condition or well maintained is not only patently absurd, but dishonest," stated the report.

"The evidence as to the unseaworthiness and appalling state of the vessel is overwhelming and compelling. Mr. Sione Mafi Kavaliku, a Marine Officer in the employ of the Ministry of Transport, when asked by the Acting Director of Marine and Ports as to his opinion about the vessel aptly responded by advising that "any fool (could) tell how bad the ship was"."

The Report stated that other evidence "as to the horrendous and frightening condition of the MV Princess Ashika," also showed that the vessel was "demonstrably and unequivocally unseaworthy and unsafe".

The report stated that broadly put, the causes of the disaster were:
"- Purchasing the MV Princess Ashika, even though its design was totally unsuited for service in the open seas of Tonga;
- Purchasing the vessel, even though it was clearly in an unseaworthy and unsafe condition.
- Allowing the vessel to be sent to sea, even though its design was totally unsuited for service in the open seas of Tonga.
- Sending the vessel to sea, even though it was clearly in an unseaworthy and unsafe condition.
- The failure to have independent due diligence conducted prior to both the purchase of the vessel and its operation in Tonga.
- The failure of those in authority, when exercising their powers or performing their duties, to do so properly and adequately."

The high loss of life was due to a number of factors but mainly because the crew failed to appreciate the danger.

"Long before 23:00 hrs the vessel was in serious peril, but it was only then that the officer on watch awoke the Master. At this time there was little or nothing the Master could do to save the vessel. If action had been commenced about 22:00 hrs to alert the passengers and crew to the danger of sinking, to issue lifejackets, and to prepare life rafts, it is most likely that all aboard could have survived, even if the sinking was inevitable by that time.," the report stated.

The vessel did not have an alarm bell or a whistle and the public addressing system did not work, so the captain's announcement for passengers to go to the muster stations, because the ferry was sinking, "was heard by few and not comprehended by any."

Submitted

The Final Report submitted to the King and Tonga Legislative Assembly in Nuku'alofa yesterday is slowly filtering out. But it is expected that the Tongan Privy Council will officially release the report to the public at some time in the future. Meanwhile, downloadable electronic copies of the report are freely available on the internet.

The report was signed by the Chairman Mr Justice Warwick Andrew C.B.E., C.R.H, and the commissioners Richard James a Naval architect and Michael Handfield a master mariner, who have heard evidence since the inquiry opened on 1 October 2009.

Link for Final Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Sinking of the MV Princess Ashika [2]