Tonga: Decision due within days on ferry salvage attempt

A decision expected to rule out salvaging the sunken ferry Princess Ashika is due from the Tongan government within days.

It is now two weeks since the ferry suddenly sank off the coast of Nuku'alofa, with 129 on board.

Fifty-four people were rescued and two bodies retrieved. The 73 remaining passengers were presumed to be trapped on board the ferry, now sitting in 110 metres of water.

Police were due to brief Cabinet ministers last night on the outcome of their search and investigation into the tragedy.

Government adviser Lopeti Senituli said a decision on any attempt at salvage would be made within days, "possibly" by tomorrow.

However, the huge cost involved was expected to rule it out as an option.

Salvage expert Keith Gordon said he thought it was unlikely anyone would step in and pay the many millions of dollars involved in salvaging the ferry, even though it might give definitive evidence of its seaworthiness before the sinking.

A New Zealand navy dive team this week sent down a remote operated vehicle (ROV) to film the vessel and formally identify it.

Chilling images of the ferry sitting upright on the sea floor were released yesterday.

While the team said there was evidence of human remains on board the vessel, it was unlikely they could be retrieved as their divers could carry out recovery missions only to a depth of 60m.

The cost of bringing in specialist divers and equipment to recover the bodies has been put as high as $25 million.

The impoverished island kingdom would need outside help to fund the recovery of the vessel or the bodies trapped in it.

The Tongan government's budget for this year is $141m, while New Zealand gives $12m in aid each year.

Accusations of cost-cutting have already been levelled at the Tongan government over its decision to bring in the Princess Ashika in the first place.

Its seaworthiness has been questioned and will be the subject of close scrutiny in the Tongan Royal Commission's inquiry into the sinking.

Their inquiry is being supported by a New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) team.

- NZPA