To'ia said the total number of missing could rise again or decrease as police try to sort out exactly who was aboard the Princess Ashika when it went down at midnight Wednesday while carrying passengers and cargo from the capital, Nuku'alofa, to outlying northern islands.
Navy divers from Australia and New Zealand arrived Saturday to help comb the wreck for bodies, but were unable to locate the vessel in their first attempt, To'ia said. Although water clarity was good, the sea bed where the ferry went down is uneven and up to 330 feet (100 meters) deep in places, making conditions difficult, To'ia said.
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Gelineau contributed to this report from Sydney, Australia.
