Click photo to enlarge
Image of the sunken Tongan ferry, Princess Ashika
The deficiency list and photos of the ill-fated ferry
Princess Ashika clearly showed that the vessel was unseaworthy,
a witness told a Tongan Royal Commission of Inquiry in
Nuku'alofa yesterday.
Captain John Hogan, manager of the Regional Maritime
Programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC),
was testifying before the inquiry into the sinking of the
vessel Ashika.
Seventy-four people died when the Princess Ashika suddenly
sank late on the night of August 5 last year off the coast of
Nuku'alofa.
Capt Hogan, who has an extensive maritime experience in the
region, was questioned by the assisting counsel to the
commission, Manuel Varitimos, and shown the deficiency list
including photographs of the sunken Ashika.
Matangi Tonga website reported Mr Varitimos suggested that by
seeing deficiency list it was clear that the vessel was
unseaworthy, and Capt Hogan agreed. He also agreed that
photos also demonstrated the vessel as unseaworthy.
He also agreed that it was incomprehensible that the Acting
Director of Marine Viliami Tu'ipulotu on July 2, 2009, after
signing an extensive deficiency list for the Princess Ashika
certified it was seaworthy.
Capt Hogan said he had read the transcripts of the hearing
and he knew there were no lifejackets given to passengers on
the Princess Ashika. At the same time he agreed that as part
of good governance that due diligence should have been
conducted prior to the purchase of the vessel.
He said that if they were asked for surveyors, SPC would have
provided a number of competent surveyors to survey the
Princess Ashika.
