Opinion: Safety not first for Tongan ferries

While a Royal Commission continues to investigate the tragedy, on-going passenger safety of ferry passengers does not appear to be of paramount importance.

As details continue to emerge about the unseaworthiness of the Princess Ashika before she sank, an older and arguably less seaworthy ferry continues to operate because her owner has allegedly disregarded the findings of inspections.

The 1950-built Pulupaki is the only inter-island ferry still operating in Tonga but remains at sea despite having been surveyed as "unsafe" and "unseaworthy".

The New Zealand and Australian governments have stepped in, providing flights for children who would otherwise have to use the ferry to attend school.

Reports from Tonga suggest that several of the serious problems noted about the 60 year-old Pulupaki are common to those seen on Princess Ashika in the lead-up to her sinking.

This hardly bodes well for passenger safety on ferries throughout the Pacific Islands.

Lloyd's List DCN is also aware of other near-misses and serious safety concerns elsewhere in the region that have largely slipped under the radar.

It shouldn't have to take another ferry tragedy in the region to force safety standards to be lifted and operators to stop taking shortcuts. But perhaps it will.