Uchwepheshe wezokuvakasha esifundeni uxwayise ngokuthi kuzoba "inhlekelele" uma inhlekelele yesikebhe okungenzeka ukuthi ibulale abantu abangu-60 eTonga ivimbela izivakashi ekuvakasheleni izwe eliyisiqhingi.
Isikebhe esiphakathi kweziqhingi zakuleli, iPrincess Ashika, sicwile amakhilomitha angama-86 ukusuka enhlokodolobha iNuku'alofa ngaphambi nje kwamabili ebusuku ngoLwesithathu sigibele abantu abangu-117.
Izikebhe zokuhlenga zilande abasindile abangu-53 kanye nezidumbu ezimbili, okuhlanganisa noBriton Daniel Macmillan, owayehlala eNew Zealand.
Ayashabalala amathemba kubagibeli abangu-62 abasele, iningi labo okungabesifazane nezingane abebelele ezitezi eziphansi endlini ngesikhathi isikebhe singasalingani futhi sigingqika ngokushesha.
Undunankulu wezwe uFred Sevele ukubize ngokuthi “inhlekelele enkulu” yeTonga: “Usuku oludabukisa kakhulu … lunkulu endaweni encane.”
Umqondisi we-New Zealand Tourism Research Institute, uSimon Milne, oseTonga ukuyohlangana nezinhloko zezokuvakasha, uthe imboni entekenteke kungenzeka ihlaselwe kakhulu yile nhlekelele.
"Njengezindawo eziningi ePacific, iTonga ibilokhu izwa ubuhlungu bokuwohloka komnotho emhlabeni," kusho uMilne eqenjini lesiqhingi saseHa'apai, lapho kugxilwe khona umsebenzi wokuhlenga.
“Abantu bebenomuzwa wokuthi bangakwazi ukukunqoba kodwa lokhu kungenye igalelo, ukuhlehliswa okubuhlungu abebengakudingi ngempela.”
Izikebhe ezihamba phakathi kweziqhingi azivamile ukusetshenziswa izivakashi, iningi lazo ezikhetha ukundiza phakathi kwamaqembu eziqhingi ezintathu zaseTonga, iTongatapu, Ha'apai neVa'vau.
IPrincess Ashika bekuwukuphela kwesikebhe esisebenza eziqhingini futhi yathengwa eFiji ezinyangeni ezimbili ezedlule ngemuva kokuthi i-Olovaha esekhulile, ebisetshenziswa kusukela ngeminyaka yawo-1980s, ibe nezinkinga zenjini.
Umkhumbi wawuzoma kuze kube yilapho kulethwa isikebhe esisha esakhiwe eJapane ngo-2011.
UPesi Fonua, umhleli wephephandaba iMatangi Tonga, uthe abantu abaningi bakule ndawo “banomuzwa omubi” ngalesi sikebhe njengoba saphuka izikhathi eziningi ngesikhathi sizama ukuthuthela eTonga.
Imibiko yabagibeli iphakamisa ukuthi kulokhu impahla yezingodo ebigibele isikebhe ibinyakaza olwandle olugubhayo, yashintsha ibhalansi yesikebhe yasiqeda ngokushesha.
Kodwa uSevele uthe imbangela esemthethweni ibingakaziwa, wagcizelela ukuthi umkhumbi uphumelele ukuhlolwa kwezokuphepha kwatholakala ukuthi uwufanele umshwalense.
"Sanelisekile ngokwemibiko esiyitholile ngaphambi kokuthi sikhokhele umkhumbi," esho.
Khonamanjalo, imikhumbi emithathu iphinde yaqala ngoLwesihlanu ukuthungatha labo abangakatholakali, kodwa umxhumanisi wophiko lwezokusesha nokuhlenga uJohn Dickson uthe ayancipha amathemba okuthola abantu bephila.
"Kuyacaca ukuthi amazinga okusinda ngemuva kwalesi sikhathi eside ayakhathaza, kodwa sihlala sinethemba lokuthola abanye abasindile," esho.
