A wedding celebration in which an opportunity for family members overseas were expected to get together and celebrate in the kingdom has turned into tragedy after a husband died and his wife was injured in a single car crash.
Mr Taniela Manu and his wife Lavinia Kitekei’aho Manu were heading to Houma, Tongatapu before their vehicle crashed on a road at ‘Utulau this afternoon, a cousin of Lavinia told Kaniva news.
Taniela reportedly died at the scene while his wife was rushed to hospital with injuries.
The Tongan-Auckland based couple have just arrived in Tongatapu from New Zealand to attend Lavinia’s cousin’s wedding this weekend.
Photos taken at the scene, seen by Kaniva news, appeared to show the vehicle was badly damaged after it obviously collided into a tree.
Police and ambulance staff attended the crash scene.
Some photos showed an uniformed police officer and what appeared to be members of the public carrying a stretcher while others were attending to what appeared to be one of the victims.
No further details were immediately available.
Tongan authorities could not be reached for comment.
