A sea search is carried out in Tonga for a boat, one baby girl, four boys, two women, and three men aboard after they failed to arrive at Fonoifua, Haʻapai at around 2am last night.
The 40ft fishing boat was powered by a 75hp outboard engine and it carried the 11 passengers from Nuku’alofa yesterday afternoon, Monday 27 June.
Deputy Police Commissioner Pelenatita Feʻao said the New Zealand P3 Orion aircraft joined the search this afternoon at 2pm.
She said they suspected the missing boat could have suffered mechanical failure.
Police search boat, the ʻAlotolu, HMAF VOEA Pangai which is currently in Haʻapai taking government officers for the town and district officers election tomorrow and a local boat from Fonoifua were assisting the search since the missing boat was reported this morning.
Feʻao said it was reported from Fonoifua that the missing boat was last seen by another boat bound for the island last night saying the boat overtook them on the way.
