85 Feared Dead from Tonga Ferry

A search of the area where the ferry went down continues. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The authorities in Tonga now say 85 people are missing and feared drowned after an inter-island ferry sank, BBC reported.

The probable toll rose from earlier estimates of 64, after it was found 141 people were on board the Princess Ashika when it went down on Wednesday.

Fifty-four people have so far been rescued.

Two bodies have so far been recovered, including a British man identified as Dan MacMillan, 48, who had been living in New Zealand.

Five other foreigners - German, French and Japanese - are among the missing. Most of them are women and children who were in cabins below decks, while all the survivors are men who were travelling on deck.

Teams of divers from Australia and New Zealand have arrived at the site, 90km (55 miles) from the capital, Nuku'alofa, to search for bodies.

"The first part of our operation is going to be reconnaissance, so that's going to involve getting out there with our autonomous underwater vehicle," New Zealand commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Andrew McMillan told Radio New Zealand.

The ship is lying in 35 metres (115 feet) of water, but it is near the edge of shelf which drops off to depths of 150 metres.

 

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