Ha'apai, Tonga:
Part Three: Photos by Linny Folau on the MV Pulupaki and Pesi Fonua on the VOEA Pangai.
ON August 25, 2009 a flotilla of vessels carrying about 500 mourners gathered in Ha'apai waters, around a point where four orange buoys floated in the water marking the last position of the MV Princess Ashika. They held a memorial and mass funeral ceremony at sea for the 74 people who were lost when the inter-island ferry sank on August 5.
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| The sisters and brother of lost passenger Manase Mavae (38) of Tu'anuku, Vv, and Vaini. |
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| Ko e ta 'o e pekia, ko Sitiueti Fa'asolo mei Fungamisi, Vava'u |
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| Bereaved families board the MV Pulupaki |
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| The Tonga Navy forms a guard of honour for a memorial stone, that is released into the sea at the Ashika wreck site |
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| Grieving mother, Mele Tufui Vea, lost her son Manukeu Kaulala (36), his wife Losaline (34) and their two daughters Fe'ofa'aki (6) and Hikifo'ou (3) of Pahu. |
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| The family of lost passenger, Salesi Havili Kaufusi (26) of Ha'ateiho |
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| Mourners tie their funeral koloa to a car wheel rim, to send it to the seabed |
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| Mourners from Ha'apai, at the wreck site 11 nautical miles south west of Nomuka island |
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| Two TDS patrol boats carried mourners from Nuku'alofa |
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| Boats from Ha'apai join the memorial service at the Ashika wreck site |
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| Tongan Police Cmdr Chris Kelley (right) headed Operation Ashika, with Chief Inspector Sokopeti To'ia, information officer. |
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| A final salute |
See more pictures at:
Part One: Mass burial at sea for Ashika victims
Part Two More photos of Ashika Memorial at sea
See also: Tributes celebrate lives lost at sea
