UPDATED 4:21pm July 11: The husband of a woman who was found dead in a yacht in Vavaʻu on July 7 has appeared before Magistrate Paula Tatafu in the Neiafu district court this morning.
The 54-year-old man from Florida, United States has been charged with the manslaugher of his 56-year-old Canadian wife.
The accused remains in Police custody. Police have also seized and impounded the yacht, the Sea Oak.
Vavaʻu Police Superintendent Netane Falakiseni told Kaniva News this morning Police arrested the man after an autopsy established the deceased had suffered what appeared to be severe bruising to her body.
Earlier reports said the husband told Police he found her wife dead when he went to wake her up on Thursday.
Falakiseni said the woman’s body is now being kept at Ngu Hospital for further post mortems today.
The couple arrived in Neiafu on May 26.
While in Vavaʻu they were staying in their yacht and were expected to depart Tonga next month on August 21.
