A newspaper printing company has apologised to the Prime Minister of Tonga for printing untrue and defamatory statements about his handling of the sinking of the Princess Ashika.
Seventy-four people drowned when the ferry sank in Tongan waters in August last year.
Horton Media Ltd of Auckland has apologised to Feleti Sevele, who lodged legal proceedings against the company in the High Court in June.
Dr Sevele claimed the Kele'a newspaper had accused him of lying to the Royal Commission investigating the sinking of the Ashika, and of manslaughter by way of negligence.
Horton Media says it would normally plead as an innocent third party, but it was concerned the court case would become too costly, so has apologised instead.
