Seconds away from death as wave swamps passengers

The Elones want to find missing family. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Tongan plumber Viliami Latu Mohenoa had only seconds to save his life when a large wave washed cargo to one side of the Princess Ashiki.

"It went down in a minute," said the 32-year-old. He swam to a life raft and shouted for help to tie it to the other six life rafts.

"The boat went down quietly. I couldn't hear the women [in the cabins] calling for help; only the men are still alive."

He spent two or three hours in the lifeboat, pulling one man out of the water, before the MV Pulupaki rescued the survivors.

"It wasn't until we were rescued that I cried my eyes out and came to terms with the rest of the passengers who went down. It was a tragedy."