Ferry disaster: Tonga tense
Tongan politicians tried desperately to stop the royal-controlled government using the ancient ferry which has sunk with the loss of 64 people.
Angry crowds are gathering in Nuku'alofa and veteran democracy MP 'Akilisi Pohiva told Stuff.co.nz that the scene is very tense and dangerous.
"People are extremely angry, everybody knew this ship was going to sink," he said.
Up to 64 people are now feared dead after the sinking of the inter-island ferry in Tonga, and the search for those missing has widened.
As many as 117 people are now believed to have been onboard the Princess Ashika ferry when it sank in Tonga on Wednesday night. Two people are confirmed dead, 53 survivors have been rescued and 62, including seven children, are missing.
The search resumed today after it was postponed overnight due to poor visibility, but Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Vaka'uta Sevele said he holds out little hope the missing passengers,will be found alive.
And in a bizarre development, King George Tupou V has left the kingdom for an extended Scottish holiday, despite knowing, before he left, that the ship had sunk.
At Nuku'alofa an eyewitness told Stuff there was growing frustration.
"The mood in the entire kingdom is one of anger, particularly at the shipping company because [people think the] the boat is not up to standard and they sailed it anyway," Brian Heagney of a nearby dive shop said.
"Very large crowds have camped outside the offices basically baying for blood.
"The passage of information in the Kingdom of Tonga is painfully slow so perhaps there are people who are even to this moment in time are not actually aware of their family members are alive or dead," he said.
Mr Pohiva, who represents commoners in the nobility-dominated Legislative Assembly, said they had spent the last couple weeks trying to stop Princess Ashika from operating.
"It was an old ship, it was only good for scrap," he said.
He said he and others had stood up in the Assembly and tried to stop the government paying a Fiji operator for the old ship.
"I have been to the Marine Department and spoken to their people, and they say it was not licensed and it should not have been operating," Mr Pohiva said.
"It is manslaughter by negligence."
Marine Department and Police have so far been unobtainable for comment.
The government-owned Polynesian Shipping company would not comment, with official Samu Likiliki saying the issue was the subject of a police investigation.
He confirmed crowds were gathered outside, but said they were in a state of shock and did not seem to pose a threat.
"We have advised them that we are in a waiting game."
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Most officials are at Tonga's international airport where Prime Minister Dr Fred Sevele has just returned from the Pacific Islands Forum.
The ship sank shortly before midnight on Wednesday and high level sources have told Stuff.co.nz that the King was told shortly after.
But on Thursday morning, to a 21 gun salute, he left the kingdom for Scotland.
Mr Pohiva said this will enrage the 100,000 commoners.
"This is the end of the monarchical system," he said.
In November 2006, six weeks after the king assumed the throne, angry mobs took to the streets of Nuku'alofa in protest at the suppression of democracy. In the riot six people died and millions of dollars in damage was caused in the central business district.
Tonga's Chief Justice and former Wellington man, Tony Ford, said the tragedy had left the kingdom "absolutely devastated".
"Everyone is absolutely shell-shocked. No-one has been untouched by this," he told Stuff.
"My driver lost his neighbour, his neighbour's wife and their daughter, a woman from the court has lost two of her sisters, everyone has been affected, It is a tragedy."
Mr Ford said he found it "doubtful" that a freak wave had caused the ship to sink.
"The sea was relatively calm that night.
There was little swell and the weather had been pleasant, he said.
Angry crowds are gathering in Nuku'alofa and veteran democracy MP 'Akilisi Pohiva told Stuff.co.nz that the scene is very tense and dangerous.
"People are extremely angry, everybody knew this ship was going to sink," he said.
Up to 64 people are now feared dead after the sinking of the inter-island ferry in Tonga, and the search for those missing has widened.
As many as 117 people are now believed to have been onboard the Princess Ashika ferry when it sank in Tonga on Wednesday night. Two people are confirmed dead, 53 survivors have been rescued and 62, including seven children, are missing.
The search resumed today after it was postponed overnight due to poor visibility, but Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Vaka'uta Sevele said he holds out little hope the missing passengers,will be found alive.
And in a bizarre development, King George Tupou V has left the kingdom for an extended Scottish holiday, despite knowing, before he left, that the ship had sunk.
At Nuku'alofa an eyewitness told Stuff there was growing frustration.
"The mood in the entire kingdom is one of anger, particularly at the shipping company because [people think the] the boat is not up to standard and they sailed it anyway," Brian Heagney of a nearby dive shop said.
"Very large crowds have camped outside the offices basically baying for blood.
"The passage of information in the Kingdom of Tonga is painfully slow so perhaps there are people who are even to this moment in time are not actually aware of their family members are alive or dead," he said.
Mr Pohiva, who represents commoners in the nobility-dominated Legislative Assembly, said they had spent the last couple weeks trying to stop Princess Ashika from operating.
"It was an old ship, it was only good for scrap," he said.
He said he and others had stood up in the Assembly and tried to stop the government paying a Fiji operator for the old ship.
"I have been to the Marine Department and spoken to their people, and they say it was not licensed and it should not have been operating," Mr Pohiva said.
"It is manslaughter by negligence."
Marine Department and Police have so far been unobtainable for comment.
The government-owned Polynesian Shipping company would not comment, with official Samu Likiliki saying the issue was the subject of a police investigation.
He confirmed crowds were gathered outside, but said they were in a state of shock and did not seem to pose a threat.
"We have advised them that we are in a waiting game."
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Most officials are at Tonga's international airport where Prime Minister Dr Fred Sevele has just returned from the Pacific Islands Forum.
The ship sank shortly before midnight on Wednesday and high level sources have told Stuff.co.nz that the King was told shortly after.
But on Thursday morning, to a 21 gun salute, he left the kingdom for Scotland.
Mr Pohiva said this will enrage the 100,000 commoners.
"This is the end of the monarchical system," he said.
In November 2006, six weeks after the king assumed the throne, angry mobs took to the streets of Nuku'alofa in protest at the suppression of democracy. In the riot six people died and millions of dollars in damage was caused in the central business district.
Tonga's Chief Justice and former Wellington man, Tony Ford, said the tragedy had left the kingdom "absolutely devastated".
"Everyone is absolutely shell-shocked. No-one has been untouched by this," he told Stuff.
"My driver lost his neighbour, his neighbour's wife and their daughter, a woman from the court has lost two of her sisters, everyone has been affected, It is a tragedy."
Mr Ford said he found it "doubtful" that a freak wave had caused the ship to sink.
"The sea was relatively calm that night.
There was little swell and the weather had been pleasant, he said.
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