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Government had already agreed to pay Lasike money before Supreme Court case

By
Philip Cass
-

The Tongan government had already accepted that it was obliged to pay Lord Lasike moneys owed to him before the recent court case, Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu said today.

Kefu, who is also the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the Crown had offered to pay TP$$223,385 to cover the period from July 9, 2012 to November 24, 2014, without going to court.

However, Lord Lasike did not accept the offer and instead began a case in the Supreme Court where he sought a declaration that:

  • His removal as Speaker and as a member of the Legislative Assembly was unlawful and in breach of the Constitution;
  • He did not resign nor was he dismissed after impeachment as a member of the Legislative Assembly;
  • He remained a member of the Legislative Assembly from 9 July 2012 until the end of his term on 24 November 2014;
  • He was entitled to receive payment of his remuneration from 9 July 2012 until 24 November 2014, along with interest.

The Supreme Court did not grant the first three declarations for which Lord Lasike applied.

“It held that the removal and replacement of Lord Lasike in the Legislative Assembly was not unlawful simply because his conviction was subsequently quashed,” the Acting Attorney general said.

“This was because Court orders must be treated as valid and may be acted upon unless and until they are set aside.

“Therefore acts done in reliance upon a judicial order are protected in law, because they are acts done in the execution of justice which are compulsive.

“The Supreme Court also held that once the conviction was quashed Lord Lasike was entitled as far as possible to be restored to all things which by reason of the judgment he had lost,” Kefu said.

This meant he should be paid the money he would have earned had he continued in his position.

Lord Lasike had also asked for interest to be paid on the money owing, but the Supreme Court refused this.

The Supreme Court left it to the parties in the case to agree on costs or else apply for costs in writing within 21 days.

Either part can lodge an appeal by March 16 this year.

The main points

  • The Tongan government had already accepted that it was obliged to pay Lord Lasike moneys owed to him before the recent court case, Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu said today.
  • Kefu, who is also the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the Crown had offered to pay TP$$223,385 to cover the period from July 9, 2012 to November 24, 2014, without going to court.
  • However, Lord Lasike did not accept the offer and instead began a case in the Supreme Court.
  • The Supreme Court ruled that he should be paid moneys owing to him, but dismissed his other claims.

For more information

Supreme Court declares Lord Lasike entitled to compensation for wages lost after dismissal

 

VIDEO: Terrifying road rage caught on video; Tongan passengers plea with attacker to stop

By
Kalino Latu
-

An infuriated driver threw punches through another motorist’s window while Tongan passengers in the vehicle queued behind can be heard pleading with him to stop.

One of the Tongan passengers, a woman who was seated in the front seat, appeared to have stuck her head outside the front left window as she begged the man to stop the attack.

“Be patient please boy! That’s enough! Be patient please!”, the woman pleaded with the attacker in Tongan.

But the assailant, whom the passengers can be heard referring to as a Tongan, kept throwing punches through the window as he stood outside the victim’s car.

The aggressor was about to return to his vehicle before he turned back and continued punching the victim through the window.

The Tongan driver of the car behind the victim’s car can be heard asking one of the passengers to sit in his seat so he could go outside to try and stop the man from continuing the attack.

But a woman can be heard stopping him from trying to interfere in the altercation.

“Is he Tongan”, the Tongan motorist asked as the responses from the passengers agreed and can be heard saying, “yes he is Tongan”.

It was not clear whether or not the person the assailant was punching had suffered injuries.

It appeared the victim did not attempt to fight back.

The attacker finally gave up and walked back to his car as the Tongan passengers can be heard sympathizing with  the victim’s devastating experience.

The incident was recorded on video apparently by one of the Tongan passengers whom can be heard talking about the incident in fluent Tongan.

The video has been widely shared on Tongan Facebook groups and pages since last week.

Kaniva News is not able to confirm its authenticity and origin, or where was the incident taken place.

It is unknown whether or not the incident was reported to Police.

Former Tongan All Black Sione Lauaki dies at age 35

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan  former All Black flanker and number 8 Sione Lauaki has died at the age of 35, Kaniva News has been told.

It is understood Lauaki was suffering from renal failure and cardiovascular problems in 2012.

Lauaki made his debut for the Chiefs in 2004 before earning an All Black call-up in 2005. He played 70 Super Rugby matches and was capped 17 times for New Zealand.

Waikato Rugby acknowledged his death on Twitter, “Our thoughts are with his family”.

 


More to come……..

Govt wants tourism to bring in US$90m a year, but tourism bosses say much to improve

By
Philip Cass
-

Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism says it wants to make the tourism industry generate $US90 million each year.

The government’s Tourism Roadmap 2014 set a goal of US$45 million a year by 2020, equivalent to 30 percent of GDP.

The Ministry says that figure has already been met, so it has ramped up the financial goal.

But while the Tongan Tourism authority’s website proclaims that there is “so much to see and do” in the kingdom, not everybody is so confident of the future of the industry in the Friendly Islands.

Speaking at a major tourism conference in  Nuku’alofa recently,  CEO of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, Christopher Cocker, told Radio Tonga News recently that tourists did not spend very much money in Tonga.

Cocker said Tonga was “blessed,” but that the industry had stalled.

“In terms of Tonga’s tourism arrival we’ve been quite stagnant from 1995,” he said.

“We’ve got an archipelago with different islands which can become a selling unique point for Tonga.

“Our greatest weakness is that we need to get our backyard right, particularly more collaboration between the industries itself.

“The average spending of tourists is quite low compared to the duration of stay.

“The reason is because there is not much to do here.”

And despite the industry’s financial achievements, Tongan Tourism CEO Fekita ‘Utoikamanu also described the industry as stagnant and told Radio New Zealand much could still be improved.

Despite the opening of a major new hotel next week, occupancy was below 50 percent and there have been concerns about the availability of quality accommodation.

‘Utoikamanu  said authorities were looking at strengthening niche markets rather than mass tourism.

Whale watching was an important niche market for Tonga.

“Then we are also looking at in the area of meetings and conferences,” ‘Utoikamanu said.

“We are also looking at destination weddings and some other water sports activities, including diving.”

However, he said the tourism authorities were not considering casinos or gaming.

“The government has made a firm decision about gaming resorts, so unless they change their policy on it but right now we are not focussing on it,” he said.

The  main points

  • Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism says it wants to make the tourism industry generate $US90 million each year.
  • But while the Tongan Tourism authority’s website proclaims that there is “so much to see and do” in the kingdom, not everybody is so confident of the future of the industry in the Friendly Islands.
  • Speaking at a major tourism conference in Nuku’alofa recently,  CEO of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, Christopher Cocker, told Radio Tonga News recently that tourists did not spend very much money in Tonga.
  • Tongan Tourism CEO Fekita ‘Utoikamanu also described the industry as stagnant and told Radio New Zealand much could still be improved.

For more information

Tonga tourism sector given ambitious targets

Tonga’s tourism sector raises goals

Tourism Industries to address weaknesses for a better change

Tonga Tourism authority

 

Stop defaming police and accept drugs were destroyed, Police Commissioner says

By
Philip Cass
-

Continually defaming the Tonga Police is undermining the respect and trust the police have built with the community, Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell said this week.

Commissioner Caldwell was responding to allegations raised in Parliament on Monday about 204 kg of cocaine seized in Vava’u from the yacht JeReVe in 2012.

During debate on the annual report of the Police Minister Nobles Representative Lord Tu’ilakepa, asked what happened to the drugs found on the yacht.

Instead of defending the kingdom’s law enforcement officers, Justice Minister Vuna Fa’otusia said the question would not be answered until the Commissioner’s reports went to Parliament instead of the Privy Council.

The JereVe ran aground on a reef in the Luatafito atoll and the decomposed body of a dead European man was discovered on the yacht.

The dead man was identified as Milan Rindzak, 35, a Slovakian national.

Australian Federal Police said the yacht had sailed from Ecuador bound for Australia where the drugs would have had a street value of $116 million.

The Commissioner previously reported on his findings to the Tongan government on April 28, last year and recommended on October 3 to have the matter independently audited by the Auditor General and the Ombudsman.

Commissioner Caldwell said the drugs were properly receipted and analysed at an Australian drug laboratory, following a request from Tonga Police for Australian Federal Police assistance.

Commissioner Caldwell said the illicit drugs seized were destroyed by the appropriate authorities in Australia on March 6, 2013 after confirming it was cocaine.

“No prosecution was initiated in relation to this seizure because no person was found to be in possession of the illicit drugs and investigations did not identify persons responsible for transporting the illicit drugs on the yacht through Tongan waters,” Commissioner Caldwell said.

“Continually defaming Tonga Police and senior Police officers without any apparent foundation is highly detrimental to the reputation of the Tonga Police and undermines the respect and trust that we’re trying to earn with our service to the Community.

“The unfounded comments attack the reputation of all the good police officers who come to work every day to do their best, and are faced with dangerous situations and life’s tragedies that no one else has to deal with.”

Commissioner Caldwell said that like any other organisation in the kingdom, the Tonga, police force was not free from corruption, misconduct or criminal activities by its personnel.

However, there was zero tolerance for such actions in Tonga Police and Police officers would be held accountable with the full force of the law.

“If members of the public have specific allegations, I would encourage them to bring it to my personal attention,  Commissioner Caldwell said.

“I take matters of integrity and honesty very seriously.”

Uunder the Tonga Police Act, the Police Board, through recommendations from the Police Executive Committee, had terminated the employment of twelve (12) Police Officers in the past five years in relation to serious misconduct or loss of confidence in their performance.

Five officers had been convicted in the Supreme Court for serious criminal offences in the past five years.

There are 14 criminal investigations underway against Police officers conducted by the Tonga Police Professional Standards Unit, at the direction of the Commissioner.

There were also 28 disciplinary investigations underway at the direction of the Commissioner.

The main points

  • Continually defaming the Tonga Police is undermining the respect and trust the police have built with the community, Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell said this week.
  • Commissioner Caldwell was responding to allegations raised in Parliament on Monday about 204 kg of cocaine seized in Vava’u from the yacht JeReVe in 2012.
  • During debate on the annual report of the Police Minister Nobles Representative Lord Tu’ilakepa, asked what happened to the drugs found on the yacht.
  • Commissioner Caldwell said the drugs were properly receipted and analysed at an Australian drug laboratory, following a request from Tonga Police for Australian Federal Police assistance.

For more information

Body found on Tonga drugs yacht identified

Tongan authorities seize $100 million of cocaine and find dead man after Australian bound yacht runs aground

‘Vital Connection.’ Platypus. Australian Federal Police magazine. (June-December 2014)

Tongan girl elatedly returns home after recovering from surgery to remove large facial tumour 

By
Todd Henry
-

Pulei Latu, the girl who we reported on back in August 2016, has now recovered from a major surgical procedure to remove the enormous facial tumour.

One of Latu’s surgeons, Dr. Will Blake said “because this is a benign tumour, we would expect her to have no problems with that throughout the rest of her life.”

Speaking to her team of surgeons as she presented them with a gift, Latu said “Thank you for everything, you changed my life back to normal.  I am out of danger and I’m looking forward to going home.”

Latu will return to Tonga in the coming weeks, and she plans on pursuing her dream of becoming an accountant.

Latu, 19, underwent radical surgery in August 2016 to remove the rapidly-growing benign tumour near her cheek – which was affecting her speech and had caused damage to parts of her mouth and teeth.

‘Sometimes I look in the mirror, and yeah, I think it’s grown bigger,’ Ms Latu told 7 News before the surgery.

‘It’ll be good because they change mine (sic) to my normal face.’

The teenager’s life-changing surgery was sponsored by Children First Foundation, a Melbourne based nonprofit organisation that specialises in providing medical treatment to children in developing countries.

It took five volunteer surgeons a total of twelve hours to reconstruct her face, with one team working on removing the bone from her leg and another team removing the tumour and resculpting her jaw.

Now that Ms Latu has completed her post-surgery care at the Children First sMiles retreat, she can return Tonga and begin her life without the physical and emotional trauma of a tennis-ball sized tumour on the side of her face.

– This story appeared on 7News Melbourne.

READ MORE

Tongan girl with enormous tumour undergoes surgery in Melbourne

Tonga has untapped potential, says Business Council leader

By
Philip Cass
-

Tonga has plenty to offer investors, according to the head of the New Zealand Tonga Business Council.

Speaking ahead of a three day visit to the kingdom next week, NZTBC chair Sione Taufa said Tonga had much for people wanting to do business in the Pacific region.

“It has unique human capital, with well educated, English-speaking people and it boasts an economy with great potential,” Taufa said.

“Its industries are still growing, so there is a lot of room for development.

“Tonga has the untapped potential of a rapidly growing youth population and a special cultural heritage which is seen in all aspects of life – and in business.”

The New Zealand Business Council will send a delegation to the kingdom for three days on February 15.

The visit is intended to explore new investment opportunities and strengthening existing relationships.

More than 30 people will travel to Nuku’aofa.

Taufa said the delegation would include people from a wide range of industries, including infrastructure, renewable energy, energy storage, education, health care, the NZ Government, tourism and consumer goods.

He said a representative from Maori Iwi would accompany the group.

Delegates will attend business breakfasts, conference style presentations, one-on-one meetings, site visits, networking events and  a trade showcase.

They will also attend the opening of the Tanoa International Dateline hotel by His Majesty King Tupou VI.

“We want to work on set goals to help facilitate increased trade between Tonga and New Zealand,” Taufa said.

 The main points

  • Tonga has plenty to offer investors, according to the head of the New Zealand Tonga Business Council.
  • NZTBC chair Sione Taufa said Tonga had much for people wanting to do business in the Pacific region.
  • “It has unique human capital, with well educated, English-speaking people and an economy with great potential,” he said.
  • A 30 strong NZTBC delegation will fly to Nuku’alofa on February 15.

For more information

Pacific Cooperation Foundation

New Zealand Tonga Business Council

China ready to work with Tonga and other countries to promote global development

By
Philip Cass
-

China is ready to make joint efforts with Tonga to strengthen co-operation and develop the Strategic Partnership of Mutual Respect and Common Development between the two countries.

In a statement released to Kaniva News, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Tonga H.E. Huang Huaguang, said globalisation had unavoidably had a certain impact on Tonga’s economy, but also created more opportunities for Tonga to interact with the world.

He described Tonga as an important member of the Asia-Pacific family. In recent years, China has carried out friendly co-operation in various fields with Tonga and other countries in South Pacific, which has boosted the social and economic development of these countries.

The ambassador said the international political and economic situation was intricate and complicated.

“Global challenges like terrorism, refugee and climate change emerged one after another,” Ambassador Huang said.

“Britain has voted to leave the European Union. There have been voices questioning or even opposing economic globalisation in the developed economies in Europe and America.

“Isolationism and trade protectionism are obviously increasing all over the world. The trend of globalisation and mankind’s future have become the universal concern of the international community.”

He said it was against this background, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 was held in Davos of Switzerland on January 17 under the theme of responsive and responsible leadership.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was invited to attend and made a keynote speech ‘Jointly shoulder responsibilities of our times, promote global Growth.’

This was the first time that China’s top leader had attended the annual meeting. President Xi also attended the high-level meeting of the theme of ‘Jointly building a community of shared future for mankind through Consultation’ in Geneva on January 18 and gave an important speech: ‘Work together to build a community of shared future for Mankind.’ In his speeches, the President expounded China’s vision and proposals on the economic globalisation, international governance and mankind’s future.

Ambassador Huang said that in his speeches President Xi had addressed five main questions:

How should we view economic globalisation?

President Xi pointed out that economic globalisation resulted from growing social productivity and was a natural outcome of scientific and technological progress. It has powered global growth and facilitated movement of goods and capital, advances in science, technology and civilisation, and interactions among peoples. Meanwhile, we should recognize that economic globalisation is a double-edged sword. While propelling global economic growth, it has also brought some negative outcomes and new challenges like poverty, unemployment. A widening income gap has strained relations between growth and distribution, between capital and labor, and between efficiency and equity. However, economic globalisation is the general trend of history and its general direction is right. It should be viewed comprehensively. We should pay attention to its deficiencies, but not give up eating for fear of choking or simply attribute problems like financial crisis and refugees to globalisation, let alone protectionism.

How to move forward economic globalisation?

In his speeches, President Xi presented China’s solution. He emphasised that in the face of opportunities and challenges brought by economic globalisation, the international community should enhance co-ordination and co-operation, improve governance to make economic globalisation open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all and ensure justice and equity. We should adapt to and guide economic globalisation, cushion its negative impact and deliver its benefits to all countries and nations. China maintains that we should act pro-actively and manage economic globalisation as appropriate to re-balance the process of economic globalisation; we should follow the general trend, proceed from our respective national conditions and embark on the right pathway of integrating into economic globalisation with the right pace; we should strike a balance between efficiency and equity to ensure that different countries, different social strata and different groups of people all share the benefits of economic globalisation.

How to view the relations between China and economic globalisation?

There was a time when China also had doubts about economic globalisation, but China finally made the right strategic decision to integrate into the global economy. Over nearly 40 years since reform and opening up, having seized the opportunities brought by economic globalisation, China has been actively co-operating with other countries and making great economic achievements. China has not only benefited from economic globalisation but also contributed to it. In the process of globalisation, the rapid growth of China’s economy has played an important role for global economic stability and expansion. Since reform and opening up, China has attracted more than $1.7 trillion of foreign investment and made over $1.2 trillion of direct outbound investment. In the years following the outbreak of the global financial crisis, China contributed more than 30 percent of global growth every year on average and is the main engine of global economic recovery.

How to open up a beautiful future for mankind?

At present, the trend toward multi-polarisation and economic globalisation is surging. Interconnection and interdependence between countries is crucial for human survival. No country can develop in isolation. In the face of major global challenges, all countries should follow the trend toward peace, development and co-operation, respect national sovereignty, and stay committed to dialogue and consultation, joint efforts, mutual learning and low-carbon development to build a world of lasting peace, common security and prosperity.

At present, the most pressing task for all the countries is to steer the global economy out of difficulty and solve three critical issues in the global economic sphere: lack of robust driving forces for global growth, inadequate global economic governance and uneven global development. We should develop a dynamic, innovation-driven growth model, an open and win-win co-operation model, a fair and equitable governance model and a balanced, equitable and inclusive development model. We should pursue new development philosophy, policy instruments and growth models. We must firmly oppose protectionism, develop global free trade and inter-connectivity, give emerging markets and developing countries greater representation and voice and promote social equity and justice.

What role will China play?

As the second largest economy in the world, guided by the vision of innovative, co-ordinated, green, open and shared development, China will adapt to and steer the current state of the economy, achieve medium-high rates of growth and vigorously create an enabling and orderly environment for investment and foster an external environment of opening-up for common development. In the coming five years, China is expected to import $8 trillion of goods, attract $600 billion of foreign investment and spend $750 billion in outbound investment. Chinese tourists will make 700 million overseas visits. All this will provide a bigger market, more capital, more products and more business opportunities for other countries. China welcomes people of other countries aboard the express train of China’s development. China will advance the building of the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific, support the successful operation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other new multilateral financial institutions.

In May this year, China will host the ‘Belt and Road Forum for International Co-operation’ in Beijing to discuss ways to boost co-operation, build co-operation platforms and share co-operation outcomes.

China will resolutely uphold world peace, pursue common development, foster partnerships and support multi-lateralism. China stands ready to work with the international community in jointly pushing forward the great process of building a community of shared future for mankind.

Belt and Road

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, also known as The Belt and Road is a development strategy and framework that focuses on connectivity and co-operation among countries primarily between the People’s Republic of China and the rest of Eurasia. It has two main parts, the land-based ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ and oceangoing Maritime Silk Road.’ For more information, see the links below- KN

The main points

  • China is ready to make joint efforts with Tonga to strengthen co-operation and develop the Strategic Partnership of Mutual Respect and Common Development between the two countries.
  • The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Tonga, H.E. Huang Huaguang, said globalisation had affected Tonga’s economy, but also created more opportunities for Tonga to interact with the world.
  • The ambassador said the international political and economic situation was intricate and complicated.
  • The trend of globalisation and mankind’s future have become the universal concern of the international community.

For more information

Inside China’s Global Spending Spree

This Map Shows How China Is Building its Global Trade Empire

Real Tonga apologises for delay, but denies claims of favouritism to other passenger

By
Philip Cass
-

Real Tonga’s General Manager Commercial and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Tele Faletau has apologised for problems experienced  by a passenger we reported earlier this week.

But he said the delay to her flight was caused  by mechanical problems with an aircraft and denied that she had been offloaded from a later flight to make way for another passenger.

“We are very sorry that Mrs Kaihea was delayed in getting back to Vava’u which was due to aircraft serviceability,” Faletau said.

As Kaniva News reported, Seini Kaihea’s husband Alex Kaihea claimed his wife was given a boarding pass, but was stopped as she was about to enter the aircraft and told her name was not on the list.

He said there were suspicions that the airline had given her seat to another man who had just purchased his ticket at the counter.

He said he was devastated when his wife called him crying and explained what had happened to her at the Fu’amotu airport.

The Kaiheas, who live in Australia, flew from Brisbane to Tonga on December 17 on their way to Vava’u for a family reunion and to participate in the St Peter Chanel College 50th anniversary.

His wife bought a return ticket on Real Tonga to Nuku’alofa on December 19, with a return ticket to  Vava’u on December 24 on the 10.45am flight.

This afternoon, Wednesday 9 Tele Faletau, Real Tonga’s General Manager Commercial and Deputy Chief Executive Officer confirmed that Mrs Kaihea was booked on flight number RT801 Tongatapu to Vava’u on December 24.

“She took advantage of a special low fare that we were offering on a limited basis to customers during December,” Faletau said.

The fare was discounted by 50 percent and had conditions appeared in the ticket in which a copy was sent and seen by Kaniva.

He said the flight on which  Mrs Kaihea was booked, was to be operated by the company’s SAAB 340 aircraft.

However, the flight had to be cancelled because of a maintenance issue.

This meant passengers on this flight had to be re-scheduled to other services throughout the day.

He said that contrary to the Kaihea’s statement, Real Tonga does not check-in its passengers. This service is contracted to Air Terminal Services Ltd.

When the flight was cancelled, Mrs Kaihea was checked on to the next flight, as there were seats showing as being available.

However, when the passengers who were originally booked onto this next flight checked in, the available weight on the aircraft was exceeded.

This meant Real Tonga had to offload seven passengers.

Faletau said several announcements were made over the terminal PA system, requesting that seven passengers (called by name) come to the check-in desk, so that the situation could be explained.

He said Mrs Kaihea was included in this call, but she did not present herself to the check-in desk and  may have been outside the terminal and unable to hear the announcement.

The remaining six passengers did present themselves and were advised of the situation.

Mrs Kaihea was advised of the situation when she presented herself for boarding, he said.

He said claims that an ex-government CEO paid for his ticket at the counter and was given favourable treatment were untrue.

The person to whom she was referring had already booked and paid for the flight.

“I trust that the information provided above will clearly demonstrate that we certainly did not put another passenger on a higher priority than Mrs Kaihea,” he said.

The main points

  • Real Tonga’s General Manager Commercial and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Tele Faletau has apologised for problems experienced by a passenger we reported earlier this week.
  • He said the delay to her flight was caused by mechanical problems and denied that she had been offloaded from a later flight to make way for another passenger.
  • “We are very sorry that Mrs Kaihea was delayed in getting back to Vava’u which was due to aircraft serviceability,” Faletau said.
  • He said claims that an ex-government CEO was given favourable treatmentr were untrue.

READ MORE

Distraught passenger accused Real Tonga for favouritism after she was taken off plane

German passengers give US$16,000 to rescued fishermen

By
Philip Cass
-

Passengers on the German cruise liner Albatros have collected about $US16,000 (TP$35,000) for six Tongan fishermen rescued by the ship.

The men were picked up last Sunday after a RNZAF Orion located their drifting fishing boat about 400km north of Tonga.

The fishermen set off a distress beacon on Saturday morning.

The Albatros was asked to rescue the men.

RNZAF spokesman Air Commodore Darryn Webb said the Orion dropped including a radio, water and food  to the men, who had been without water for three days.

The fishing boat was taking in water as it wallowed in a swell.

The Albatros was en route to the  Bay of Islands in New Zealand,  but diverted 300km to pick up the men about 2.30pm on Saturday.

Radio New Zealand reported that the money collected by the passengers will be used to help cover the loss of their boat, which was abandoned.

Senior Search and Rescue Officer Ramon Davis said the fishing boat was unlikely to remain afloat beyond the weekend.

The men were reported to be in good health.

The main points

  • Passengers on the German cruise liner Albatros have collected about $US16,000 (TP$35,000) for six Tongan fishermen rescued by the ship.
  • The men were picked up last Sunday after a RNZAF Orion located their drifting fishing boat about 400km north of Tonga.
  • It is understood the money donated by the passengers will be used to help cover the loss of their boat, which was abandoned.

For more information

Rescued Tonga fishermen get big gift

Fishermen rescued after 3 days without water

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