Results for Outer Islands

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

A Blue Ribbon campaign in solidarity of the lives lost at sea was launched on August 14 in an emotional ceremony held outside the Shipping Corporation Office at Queen Salote Wharf, where many families have been camping outside in tents for days waiting on news of loved ones who were passengers on board the sunken ferry MV Princess Ashika.

Operation Ashika this afternoon released 37 names, on the first confirmed list of passengers and crew missing following the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika on August 5, 2009.

Devastated mother, 'Iunisi Latu (42) of Halaleva is mourning the loss of two daughters Lima Lei (nee 'Alimoni) and Mele 'Alimoni who are among the missing on the MV Princess Ashika sinking in Ha'apai on August 5.

Tonga police have identified the female body recovered from the sea, as 22-year-old wife and mother, Vaefetu'u Mahe (nee Taufa) of Vava'u, whose husband and child are among the 93 still missing after the sinking of MV Princess Ashika on August 5.

No wreckage or bodies from the MV Princess Ashika were found yesterday in the first underwater mission conducted by the combined Australia and New Zealand Dive team, using underwater-specialised search equipment.

Energetic and outgoing, a young Niuean policewoman Sisiliah Puleheloto (24) is remembered as a happy, smiling person who loved serving her own community and the people in the Solomons, where she was working on the RAMSI mission, before coming to Tonga last week for a joyful reunion with her cousins. By Linny Folau

The number of people missing in Tonga's Ashika ferry disaster has grown to 85 today.

There was a mixture of joy and sadness at the Fua'amotu domestic airport when 32 of the 53 survivors from MV Princess Ashika ferry sinking returned to Tongatapu on a Chatham Airline flight at 1.30 pm today. Photos by Linny Folau and Pesi Fonua.