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New Zealand navy dive ship Manawanui has left for Tonga to help in the recovery operation following the Princess Ashika sinking as the number missing from the disaster rose to 85.

The inter-island ferry is believed to have been carrying 141 people when it sank on Wednesday night. . It would not arrive in Tonga until Friday, and would return to Devonport if a suitable vessel could be found closer to Tonga.

Prime Minister John Key said the Manawanui had sailed from the Devonport naval base about noon as a incident measure to support rescue and recovery efforts.

New Zealand and Australian dive teams arrived in Tonga overnight and were today conducting a survey of the recovery site using an underwater search vessel.

“She will support the Royal New Zealand Navy’s operational dive team and the Royal Australian Navy divers to carry out recovery of victims from the submerged ferry, the Princess Ashika,” Mr Key said.

Mr Key said he was extremely concerned, and saddened, to hear that up to 85 people might now be unaccounted for after the sinking — up from 33 initially unaccounted for.

“The New Zealand Government remains in close contact with the Government of Tonga and we are ready to provide whatever assistance we can.

“This has been an extremely distressing time for the people of Tonga, and New Zealand’s thoughts are with the families and friends of those who have died and who are missing,” he said.

SEARCH RESTRICTED

New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) will this afternoon hand control of the search for survivors of the Princess Ashika sinking to Tongan authorities.”

The Tongan government had asked for a disaster victim identification team from New Zealand, and the police were considering that request, Mr Key said.

RCCNZ was collating the search data and preparing to hand co-ordination of the rescue over to the Tongan police, he said.

RCCNZ search and rescue mission co-ordinator Geoff Lunt said poor weather was restricting the air force Orion’s ability to search safely, and it would be withdrawn this afternoon.

“Despite an intensive search over the last 3-1/2 days, there has been no new information or any further sign of survivors from the ferry,” Mr Lunt said.

“Despite an intensive search over the last 3-1/2 days, there has been no new information or any further sign of survivors from the ferry,” Mr Lunt said.

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A Taupo man is to stand trial for murdering his five-week-old baby son, after a depositions hearing today found he had a case to answer.

Adam Christopher Lock, 21, pleaded not guilty in Taupo District Court to murdering JayRhis Ian te Koha Lock-Tata in March.

He was remanded in custody for a callover in the High Court at Rotorua on October 8. He also denied two charges of assaulting a female. .

The prosecution said that Lock assaulted JayRhis after being left alone in charge of him in the family’s Taupo home on March 5.

Lock sat quietly beside his solicitor Bill Lawson as 46 witness statements were handed up to the court today.

He died in Auckland’s Starship hospital on March 7 after being taken off life support.

The baby’s mother, Shannel Tate wept while giving evidence yesterday.

Two videos were also received as evidence by Community Magistrate Robyn Patterson.

Ms Tate said the baby had been unsettled during the night but was asleep when she left the home. She explained that she had left JayRhis at home with Mr Lock for a short time.

She rushed home and found ambulance officers in her bedroom trying to resuscitate the child.

Ms Tate was at a neighbour’s house when she saw an ambulance at her address.

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An elderly man has been dragged to his death after his foot became trapped as he attempted to get off a train in the Auckland suburb of Newmarket.

The man, who was believed to be in his 70s, slipped as he was getting off the train at the Newmarket station.

His foot became stuck and he was dragged for several metres by the train until it stopped just under the Newmarket Broadway overbridge, police said.15pm.

Emergency services and Ontrack workers arrived at the scene shortly after 1.

Newmarket Business Association chief executive Cameron Brewer said he had never had any complaints about the safety of the temporary platform on Kingdon Street at Newmarket station.

Police and rail workers were removing the body this afternoon.

“It has been operating for over 18 months, since the old station was decommissioned. . In fact people have been calling for the platform to be made permanent because it has been working well,” he said.

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