As an update to the shipwreck, it happened after mid-night (night before last) with strong winds apparently turning the vessel sideways to the seas. The captain was trying to get the passengers to move to the center of the in order to balance their weight, but it apparently quickly took on water and began to sink. Fortunately there was a full moon and the M.V Pulupaki able to reach them within two hours, or they all might have drowned. Some were able to take to the life boats, some jumped overboard wearing life jackets, some without anything. in the way of flotation. An emergency beacon was activated and, I guess, quickly responded to by New Zealand.
Some confusion over who survived and who didn't, so families are still awaiting word. Also, apparently it isn't really known how many were aboard. Now estimated to be around 96 with 55 surviving and possibly 41 missing - a heavy toll. My wife's aunt in Ha'apai has a guest house and was expecting three foreign tourists to come there on the Princess Ashika, but has since learned that one died and two others are missing. Most passengers and crew would have been Tongans, however, though one Chinese crew member is missing.
Thanks for the offer to help but I'm sure everything is taken care of. There are air fields on all the major islands (maybe four airfields in all).
The radios have gone over to playing hymns and classical music out of respect and I don't know how long this will continue, but when the King died a couple years ago, it continued for over a month. It is sort of the Tongan version of flying the flag at half mast, though that is done as well. Radio is very important here, not much TV yet.
The sea is, of course, all around us here and certainly takes its toll from time to time. Just in my area has been three drownings including my wife's cousin a couple weeks ago, a child and his father down near the bridge near us, and a Peace Corp worker lost to a shark about two years ago just up the coast a ways. I suppose it is something to be expected but always a shock when it inevitably happens.