The Tongan government is expected to decide soon whether to bring that equipment in, but most believe it is unlikely because of the cost. Police on Friday told families who lost loved ones in the disaster that there is no guarantee their relatives will ever be retrieved.
“We have done everything possible within the resources available to us in Tonga and from our regional partners” Australia and New Zealand, police commander Chris Kelley said.
The Princess Ashika sank on Aug. 5 with 128 people on board and is lying upright on the sea bed 360 feet deep — too far for divers to reach without special equipment only available overseas.
A large wave overturned the vessel 55 miles northeast of the capital, Nuku’alofa. Fifty-four people survived, and police have located only two bodies.
The tragedy has reverberated through the tiny South Pacific kingdom, triggering accusations that the government allowed the ferry to operate despite being unseaworthy. The government has rejected the claims.
Kelley said even countries that have sophisticated undersea recovery equipment aren’t able to help because of the depth of the water.
That leaves Tonga with the option of turning to private foreign organizations for help — but that could take months and cost millions of dollars, he said. Even then, he said, there’s no guarantee that all bodies would be recovered.
Police on Friday also released the names of three foreign nationals they say were aboard the vessel, Assistant Commander Tupou Niua told The Associated Press.
They were identified as Christian Langanke and Diana Gmeinder, both 28 and from Germany, and Pauline Henry, from France. Hometown details were not immediately available.
