Divers hope to establish if rope attached to ferry

Divers hope to know by this afternoon if a rope spotted in the water is attached to the Tongan ferry Princess Ashika - which sank last week with the loss of up to 93 lives.

However, even if it is found, the ferry could be too deep for divers to recover any bodies.

At least 149 people were on board the Princess Ashika when it capsized last Wednesday, 86km northeast of the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofa. Two bodies and 54 survivors have been found, while 93 people are presumed drowned after being trapped in the vessel.

The head of the dive team searching for the ferry, Lieutenant Commander Andrew McMillan of the Royal New Zealand Navy, told Radio New Zealand that despite windy weather the team should be able start investigating the rope with remote equipment this morning.

The rope could be a very good indicator of the ferry's location, although it was not yet confirmed. It fitted the description of rope used on the ferry, he said.

"It's attached to something on the bottom. I can't confirm what is on the bottom. There were two forklifts on board the vessel at the time. They could have got tangled in the rope and they could be sitting on the bottom."

Lt Cdr McMillan said divers were searching in an area that was between 108 and 110m, while the search equipment could go 100m deep.

"We can push those a little bit, we'd like to think we might be able to find it."

However, for divers to possibly recover any bodies the ferry will have to be less than 60m down - as neither the Australia nor New Zealand navies could dive below 60m.

Poor weather has hampered the efforts of divers to locate the ferry so far this week.

Meanwhile, the surveyor in charge of carrying out checks on the ferry said it was not seaworthy.

Mosese Fakatoa, who teaches at the Tongan Maritime School, told 3 News the boat was not seaworthy and that he never had a chance to finish his report on it.

"Even without the survey, I can tell you that the ship was not in good condition," he said.

The ferry was missing marks which showed how low in the water a ship could ride, and not having them breached international maritime conventions.

"Every ship is supposed to have that mark painted on the side, so that they will know when the ship is overloaded or not," Mr Fakatoa said.

"Ashika did not have any, and I think that is a very serious offence.

"I think they (the government) knew about it, but they did nothing."

Tongan Transport Minister Paul Karalus, who has maintained the ferry was seaworthy, resigned yesterday but denied he was admitting responsibility.

He had resigned because his ministry was the subject of a Royal Commission of Inquiry.

"So one, from a legal perspective if no other, has to step aside to allow the process," Mr Karalus, who was appointed by the royal family, said.

"One cannot be judge and judged at the same time."

Tonga's Prime Minister Feleti Sevele has announced the sea worthiness of the ferry will be investigated by a Commission of Inquiry, though he noted that he had himself seen the ferry's certificate of seaworthiness.

- NZPA