Ferry disaster: Anger at owners growing

A survivor of the Tongan ferry disaster says he heard no cries for help or screaming as the Princess Ashika sank on Wednesday night.

Two passengers are confirmed dead but at least 85 others are still missing.

Tongan plumber Viliami Latu Moheoa, 32, emerged from watching a video to see crew bailing water from the lower deck. Moments later a 1m wave swept cargo, vehicles and forklifts across the deck, causing the ship to overturn and sink.

Moheoa, a father of two, said the ship went down in a minute. "All the containers went to one side, the same time the water came inside. I saw the crew were trying to put out the water, but it was too late."

He could see only male passengers and crew on the deck. Families with children and elderly people had been given cabins below deck.

"The boat went down quietly," he said. "I couldn't hear the women calling for help.

"A lot of the women and children were staying inside the boat. Me and my friend stayed outside - that's why I'm alive."

Moheoa swam to a liferaft and called for help to tie it to the other six rafts. He spotted another man in the water and helped to lift him into the raft. It was two hours before MV Pulupaki arrived to rescue the survivors.

"There were moments when I wasn't sure I would survive, but in my heart I knew I was going to stay alive," he said.

Moheoa was on a work trip to the outer islands with two workmates. One is still missing.

The Princess Ashika sank about 46 nautical miles (86km) northeast of the capital, Nuku'alofa. It is believed six foreigners were on board.

Moheoa believed the ferry was not seaworthy. He said water was coming through the main door. "The main blame lies with the shipping company," he said.

Questions are being asked about why the ageing ferry was allowed to operate.

Veteran democracy MP 'Akilisi Pohiva said people were "extremely angry" as they had tried to stop the Government from buying the ancient boat.

People were gathering outside the offices of the government-owned Shipping Company of Polynesia, which bought the boat from Fiji two months ago as a stop-gap measure before a new vessel was launched in 2011.

"People are extremely angry, everybody knew this ship was going to sink," Pohiva said. "It was an old ship, it was only good for scrap. 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."

Leading Tongan journalist Pesi Fonua said locals had a "bad feeling" about the boat.

They had not wanted to travel on it but had no choice as air travel was too expensive.

Adding to the Tongan people's fury was the news their monarch, King Tupou V, had left the country on an extended Scottish holiday despite being aware the tragedy had occurred.

Brian Heagney, who runs a dive shop in Nuku'alofa, said "the mood in the entire kingdom is one of anger".

"Particularly at the shipping company because [people think] the boat is not up to standard and they sailed it anyway," he said.

"Very large crowds have camped outside the offices basically baying for blood."

Information was being passed on "painfully slow", and many people still did not know if their family members were alive or dead.

It is hoped the tragedy, coupled with the King's untimely departure and the Prime Minister's absence for the Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns, does not spark another riot such as the one seen in November 2006.

Most of Nuku'alofa's town centre was looted and razed by demonstrators to protest the royal family's stranglehold on Tonga's governance and economy.

A repeat would be a major setback for the country, which has made several steps towards a more open democratic system in the past year and hopes to hold its first citizen-focused elections in 2010.