Four guilty of Tonga ferry deaths

1. April 2011 last updated at 05: 07 GMT the Princess Ashika passed safety inspections before sinking in August last year, 74 deaths caused a Tonga Court has sentenced four men manslaughter in connection with the sinking of the vessel in bad weather in 2009, 74 People killed, reports say.

The ferry captain and helmsman, Managing Director of the shipping company and officials, were the manslaughter by negligence of the VAE Fetu'u Taufa, 21-year-old mother guilty.

You are up to 10 years in prison.

It was Tonga's biggest criminal trial and followed an official investigation, which found the ferry was not seaworthy.

The Princess Ashika went during a storm in deep water from the main island of Tongatapu in the night of the 5th of August 2009.

Most were currently 74 passengers below deck to sleep. MS Taufa was the only Tongan passenger whose K?rper has been restored.

'Systemic and individual errors'

A Royal Commission investigation of the sinking the ferry was declared 1985 seeuntüchtig and should never in deep water sailing found.

However, bought the State operator, Shipping Corporation of Polynesia (SCP) the ship of a Fijian company in 2009.

Many of the victims are still on the sunken wreck of the Princess Ashika

The SCP Managing Director, John Jonesse - a New Zealander who was one of the defendants - noting that the ferry "without a proper due diligence, surveys, inspections, reviews, documentation or proper request have completed", the Commission found to be purchased.

And despite the springing leaks during the previous travel ship captain Viliami Makahokovalu Tuputupu, went ahead with the fateful trip, it has been claimed.

The disaster "was a result of the systemic and individual errors," the study concluded.

"The tragedy is that they were all easily avoidable and were totally the death pointless."

The two other defendants, condemned Friday's were first the Princess Ashika mate, Semisi Pomale and the Executive Director of the Tongan Navy and ports Department, Viliami Tüzh? ipulotu.

You have taken in custody for sentencing on 4 April was.

The SCP also before a series of charges relating to responsibility for the seaworthiness of the ferry, and was found guilty by the same jury.

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