The boat that capsized and sank while carrying Anglican Church delegates in Tonga was not licensed or authorised to conduct whale-watching and swimming activities, the Ministry of Tourism has revealed.
The ministry issued the clarification following reports of the marine incident, which occurred between Fafā and Malinoa islands in Tongatapu on Friday, 21 August.
Several passengers were reportedly taken to hospital briefly, but no serious injuries were reported.
The passengers included delegates who had attended the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia’s General Synod in Nukuʻalofa. The gathering brought together bishops, chaplains and other church representatives from New Zealand and across the Pacific.
In its statement, the Ministry of Tourism said preliminary information showed that neither the vessel nor its operator had been approved to provide whale-watching or swimming services.
“The vessel and operator involved in the incident were not licensed or authorised by the Ministry of Tourism to conduct Whale Watching and Swimming activities,” the ministry said.
It said all vessels registered with licensed whale-watching and swimming operators in Tongatapu returned safely to their respective harbours or docking areas on Friday, with no related incidents reported.
Incident under review
Whale-watching and swimming activities require an appropriate licence under Tonga’s Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013.
The ministry said the matter remained under review and further action could be taken.
It was continuing to assess the available information and would take compliance action within its mandate where necessary.
Issues relating to the vessel’s licensing, safety equipment and other maritime requirements would be referred to the appropriate authorities, the statement said.
The ministry did not identify the vessel or operator, disclose how many passengers were aboard or explain whether the trip had been advertised or arranged as a whale-watching excursion.
Australian paramedics assist
Paramedics from New South Wales who were in Tonga for a Rotary International training programme helped lead the emergency response.
According to a Rotary statement, the Anglican delegation prayed with the emergency team before leaving.
“Before leaving, the bishops, chaplains and leaders of the group led a prayer, thanking and blessing the team for the help and support they had provided,” the statement said.
“It was a very special and humbling moment for our team, and certainly not something we expected when we started the day.”
The Diocese of Polynesia had recently completed its General Synod in Nukuʻalofa before the delegates joined the boat trip.
