Relatives, friends grieve for ferry dead

Tongans in Auckland remember those who perished when the Princess Ashika went down. Photo / NZPA

White lily and red hibiscus flowers floated on the tide and tears at the Auckland waterfront yesterday in an emotional ceremony for those lost in the Tongan ferry tragedy.

A hundred people marched down Queen St to join others to pray, sing hymns and express grief - and hope for the recovery of those still missing.

Their feelings were summed up in a poem, which was read out, called The Lost Treasure of MV Princess Ashika.

"Where, oh where can you be?" asked the poem, written for a lost relative by Aucklander Kakala Taumoefolau.

The Tongan woman was referring to the 73 passengers presumed to be trapped on board the ferry, now sitting in 110m of water, after sinking off Nuku'alofa on August 5.

Fifty-four people were rescued and two bodies have been retrieved.

During the ceremony, tearful relatives clutched flowers and framed pictures of the missing passengers and wore black T-shirts bearing their images.

"Bring back Sisiliah to Niue" was one of the banners held aloft.

Sisiliah Puleheloto, 23, was taking a holiday trip on the ferry while on leave from serving with the Niuean police force in the multinational force on the Solomon Islands.

March organiser Alani Taione arranged for the flags of Tonga and New Zealand to be flown at half mast at the National Maritime Museum.

Mr Taione, who heads the New Zealand branch of the Tonga Democratic Party, said it was an occasion when grieving and politics were mixed.

Pressure was mounting on the Tongan Government to recover the bodies.

Mr Taione said: "Our families will raise funds first to show that we want to contribute.

"I'd like the New Zealand and Australian Governments and the United Nations not to give any more to Tonga until the nation diverts that money to recover the bodies of our loved ones."