Hope of ferry disaster bodies returning fades

MATANGI TONGA

MEMORIES: Elisapeta Tahahau Ofa holds a photograph of her missing mother, brother and sister, surrounded by other members of her family in Tonga.

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A Christchurch woman who lost three family members in the Tongan ferry tragedy is "holding on to hope" that their bodies will be found.

Elisapeta Tahahau Ofa flew to Tonga last Saturday after hearing that her mother, youngest brother and youngest sister were on the Princess Ashika, which sunk 86 kilometres north of the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa, a week ago. Only two bodies have so far been recovered.

"I'm holding on to hope at the moment," Ofa said. "That's the only thing I'm doing just hoping that they will be able to bring up the bodies."

She has accepted that her family members were dead, despite no official confirmation.

It was important to family members that they be able to give the bodies a proper burial.

"The souls are gone, but it will give us peace knowing that our families have a respectful burial and so we know for sure that their bodies rest in peace and in a warm place," she said.

Not knowing exactly what had happened had left Ofa's family with questions about how their loved ones died.

Ofa said she had always thought her father was a strong man, but family members said he was not coping well.

"If they talk about the ship, he just bows his head and all of a sudden all his energy is sucked out of him and he just goes into the room," she said.

"I know my dad is suffering a lot. We're trying to do the best we can to be able to help my dad."

The family would consider a memorial service if divers were unable to recovery the bodies.

Ofa said there was anger in Tonga.

She hoped the tragedy would serve as a wake-up call to improve safety on vessels travelling between islands.

"Unfortunately, this involves my family, but it takes something very critical like this to shake up people to realise the issues and problems that are being swept under the carpet," she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News