Standing room only at funeral for victims of trawler sinking

Up to 2000 people crammed into the Bluff Events Centre this morning to farewell five victims of last weekend's trawler sinking -- including three generations of the same family.

Bluff man Leslie Christian Topi, known as Peter, 78, and his two nine-year-old grandsons, Shain Jack Topi-Tairi and Sailor Roy Trow-Topi, Peter's daughter and Sailor's mother, Tania Marie Topi, 41, and Clinton Allan Woods, 34, died after the 15m Kotuku capsized on Saturday afternoon while returning from a muttonbirding expedition to Kaihuka Island.

A sixth victim, Ian "Shorty" Hayward, was buried on Wednesday.

Three people, Kotuku skipper John Edward Edminstin, 56, Peter's son and Shain's father Paul Maurice Topi, 46, and Peter's grandson and Tania's older son, Dylan James Topi, 16, managed to swim to nearby Women's Island.

Bluff Community Board chairman Rex Powley, who attended the ceremony, told NZPA it was standing room only at the events centre which had seating for 1400.

Pupils from Southland Boys' High School performed a haka as the coffins were carried in to the centre, Mr Powley said.

A eulogy was read for each victim and a slide presentation on muttonbirding was shown.

Members of the Topi family were cremated following the service, and Mr Woods was buried at Green Point Cemetery near Bluff.

An investigation is underway into the cause of the tragedy, New Zealand's worst maritime disaster in 23 years.

- NZPA