Results for Outer Islands

Thousands of people in Vava'u gathered to hear HM King Siaosi Tupou V at the largest church service ever held there in recent times. Photos and story by Dianne Schultz

A Tonga government policy restricting the number of whale watching boats to two boats per licensed Whale Watching operator is causing frustration among some of Tonga's pioneer whale watching operators in Vava'u, who say that the policy is unfair and restricts their growth, while allowing in amateurs. Story and photos by Pesi Fonua

The Niua Foundation in a project to set up a computer laboratory for Niuatoputapu High School is sending six new personal computers to the isolated northern island.

The Niu'ui Hospital in Ha'apai may be declared unsafe for patients, following the May 4 earthquake that has damaged rooms, and has left the hospital without essential support services.

Rival student groups who clashed in Vava‘u, at the weekend, damaging church property, joined a community reconciliation meeting today in Neiafu.

Residents of the scattered Ha‘apai islands in central Tonga at the best of times find it difficult to make wireless contact with the outside world, but on February 26, Ha‘apai made history when an Amateur Radio Operator, Paul Kidd of Lifuka spoke to astronaut, Bill McArthur of the International Space Station as it passed over Tonga. By Pesi Fonua

A US Peace Corps Volunteer, Tessa Horan (24), died in Vava'u yesterday evening, February 1 after losing a leg in a tragic shark attack in the water off the village of Tu'anuku. Pesalili Kailahi, the Neiafu Police Commander, said that the attack took place about 6 pm but the police were not notified until about 8 pm.

Three baby Pilot Whales were rescued from the shallow waters of eastern Vava'u, in Tonga, after being stranded for nearly a week. But the mother whale and two other whales that were stranded with the pod died from injuries believed to be caused by a shark attack.

The people of Pangai who went out to sea in their boats in the dark and worked all night to rescue about 450 passengers from Tonga's grounded inter-island ferry MV Pulupaki yesterday deserve the highest praise, says one grateful passenger who finally reached her destination safely.