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Search continues for missing passengers on Tonga ferry
TONGA – Rescue services were searching today for 26 people still unaccounted for after a ferry carrying 79 people sank off the coast of Tonga.
New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre launched a major search operation after the ferry sank 86km northeast of Nuku’alofa late last night.
NZPA reported that the ferry Princess Ashika was heading from Nuku’alofa to Ha’afeva, in the Nomuka Islands group, when it issued a mayday call just before 11pm.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion arrived at first light to begin a search for missing passengers.
The first boats to reach the scene pulled 42 people from liferafts – 17 passengers and 25 crew, including the captain.
Another 11 were subsequently found safe and well.
A balmy water temperature of 25degC would aid the survival chances of those still in the water, said a Maritime New Zealand spokesman.
Ian Jarrett
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