Mourners at a memorial church service held at the Mangere Tongan Methodist Church. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Mourners at a memorial church service held at the Mangere Tongan Methodist Church. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Three months ago, the ferry Princess Ashika sank in heavy seas on an overnight sailing in Tonga.

Seventy-four of those on board died. Two bodies were recovered - the rest went down with the vessel, which remains beneath 110m of water, beyond recovery. Five weeks ago the Samoan tsunami disaster pushed the Tongan ferry tragedy out of the headlines. For this special report Vaimoana Tapaleao talked to the families of ferry victims with ties to New Zealand, so that they would not be forgotten.

Soane Stuart Fa'asolo
40, of Fungamisi

Stuart Fa'asolo probably had the most "palangi" name on the island, according to his aunt Tivise, and yet he never once set foot in the country his name came from.

Ponsonby in the 1950s was a cold and hard reality for a young Tivise Fa'asolo, who was sent to New Zealand to work to help her family in Tonga.

"It was so lonely and so cold. You long for your island and your family.

It was so hard being here."

News that her sister-in-law was due to give birth arrived soon after.

She called her brother and said: "If the baby is born a boy, name him Stuart after the street I live on" - Stuart St, off Vermont St in Ponsonby.

The Stuart St story has been told repeatedly at family gatherings. Known as the comedian of the family, her nephew was always special to her, Tivise said, given the link to his name.

"I named him [Stuart] because I never wanted our family to forget the sacrifices we had to make to be prosperous now. And now he has paid the biggest sacrifice, lying on the seabed of Tonga."

Taipe Loto'ahea
56, Feletoa

Taipe Loto'ahea was a proud father of seven children.

The 56-year-old had travelled from the island of Vava'u to the main island, Tongatapu, to watch his youngest son Uluakimano play rugby for Atele College.

The 19-year-old boarded at the school, so it was an exciting day for Taipe to see his son. But that day proved to be the last time he would see any of his children again.

Son Christopher - who lives in Hamilton - said he was heartbroken to hear his father was on the Princess Ashika, given he had planned to spend Christmas in New Zealand.