Late King of Tonga begins journey home [+pictures]

Members of the Tongan Defence Force march from Atalanga. Picture / Kenny Rodger

The body of the late King of Tonga has left the Whenuapai air force base in Auckland bound for his kingdom of Tonga on board a Hercules aircraft.

King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who ruled Tonga for 41 years, died late on Sunday night at Auckland's Mercy Hospital after a long illness. He was 88.

His body has been lying in state at the Tongan royal residence, Atalanga, in Epsom.

But the king's body left the royal residence at 9.15am this morning in a funeral cortege.

Spectators gathered at Whenuapai this morning to farewell the king. The Hercules left Whenuapai at 11am this morning and will arrive in Tonga four hours later.

The air force has fitted the aircraft with a "comfort pallet" which includes toilet and a galley but little can be done to upgrade the webbing seats which run fore and aft at the front of the main cargo compartment.

Hercules aircraft are built for practical cargo and troop transport and not for comfort and members of the Tongan Royal family accompanying the body of the king home face a noisy and uncomfortable trip. They would be given earmuffs to reduce the noise.

The king's large, custom-made casket was expected to be the only cargo on the Hercules which would return to New Zealand as soon as the king's body had been taken off in Tonga.

The king was farewelled by a 100-man guard of honour.

Traffic was diverted from St Andrews Rd in Epsom until 9.30am this morning.

Police said there hadn't been any traffic congestion problems.

Tonga Government officials said the body would be accompanied to Tonga by his wife, Queen Halaievalu Mata'aho, and members of the royal family.

Hours after his death late Sunday night he was succeeded by his son Crown Prince Tupouto'a who was sworn in as King Siaosi Tupou V.

The Tongan royal family has entered six months of mourning and the country is in a month of mourning.

A formal state funeral will be held for the king next Tuesday when dignitaries from around the Pacific are likely to attend.

- Additional reporting NZPA