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Australia will contribute $100,000 to the Tonga Red Cross to support survivors and victims' families of the Tongan ferry tragedy.

I think we can now understand why the ship sank and sank so fast. - Leigh Harkness

The Tonga government has distributed $66,000 pa'anga to help the families of 33 persons in Tongatapu whose lives were lost in the MV Princess Ashika tragedy. The funds were allocated at $2,000 pa'anga per head and taken from a $15 million National Emergency Fund held by Government to aid in times of emergency.

Almost two weeks after the sinking of their vessel, MV Princess Ashika the Chairperson and members of the board of the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd. made a first public statement on August 17, expressing their condolences and sympathy to families who have lost members.

Newly-wed Heilala Fetu'u (23) longs to see the husband she married on July 30 and who was lost at sea only one week later. By Linny Folau

'I he taha 'o e ngaahi ngaue mana 'a e 'Eiki ko'ene faka'a e kui. Na'e 'eke 'ai 'ehe kau akonga mo e kau mamata ki he 'Eiki pe ko hai na'e faiangahala; ko e tangata kui pe ko'ene ongo matua'. Na'e tali 'e he 'Eiki na'e 'ikai faiangahala ha taha 'o e kaume'ani ka 'oku hoko e me'ani ke fakaha ai e mafai mo e naunau 'o e 'Otua. - Sione Lousiale Kava

Is it possible that the ship's disaster was due to the century-old mystery of "rogue waves?" For centuries sailors and scientists have not figured out how to predict rogue waves, and how to prepare for them. It is theorized that two collided waves formed a rogue wave with such monstrous force, which few ships could survive encountering a tall wall of water slamming them from any side, and without warning. - Sione A. Mokofisi

A New Zealand navy vessel the HMNZ Manawanui arrived in Tonga at the weekend with a support team to assist in the reconnaissance of the sunken ferry MV Princess Ashika in the Ha'apai Group. Photos by Patricia Car

Donations to the Ashika Relief Fund have reached over $600,000 pa'anga the Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet, Busby Kautok, said on August 14 on receiving a $2,000 donation from the Staff Association Committee of the Westpac Bank of Tonga.