Papua New Guinea boat tragedy: 27 missing after two boats capsize

Families had been celebrating a birthday at a Papua New Guinea beach resort when they went missing on their return boat journey last week.

It has been described as one of the nation's worst maritime tragedies in recent years.

Twenty-seven people, including families with young children, were travelling on two boats when they capsized in rough seas off East New Britain in the country's north-east on Saturday.

The boats were returning from Pangpang Beach Resort, travelling from Pigeon Island to Kokopo, when they overturned shortly after 3pm in the Bismarck Sea.

The only known survivors are the two boat operators, who drifted for six hours before reaching Baai village.

The search for the 27 others has entered the recovery phase, with nine bodies found in neighbouring New Ireland Province.

Three days after the tragedy unfolded, the first two bodies washed ashore on Djaul Island in New Ireland.

The victims, a mother and her 18-year-old daughter, had been carried more than 200 kilometres north-west by ocean currents from East New Britain.

The mother was discovered during the day by villagers working in their gardens.

The teenage girl was found later that night by a young boy who helped carry her to the nearby home of a village councillor.

It was after midnight, but instead of leaving her alone, islanders gathered around her and began singing hymns.

Michael Rangrang, a school teacher on the island, said they kept vigil beside her body through the night until authorities could be contacted to retrieve her the next morning.

"It's sort of our culture … when people die, we have to do something," he said.

A large crowd of villagers gathered to see her off when the helicopter arrived.

Mr Rangrang said they placed flowers on her body as a final act of respect, despite not knowing who she was.

"What we are trying to do is show people there's a village here with this type of lifestyle, this type of culture."

More bodies have been recovered along the coast of New Ireland, another major PNG island.

A woman found near Djaul Island on Wednesday was identified as an East New Britain Provincial Health Authority staff member.

New Ireland health workers formed a guard of honour as she was transferred home from the morgue in Kavieng, the province's capital.

On Thursday, five more bodies were recovered from Enang and Upuas in the Tigak group of islands and taken to the Kavieng morgue. Another body was found on Friday morning, bringing the total recovered to nine.

More than 20 boats operated by police, disaster teams and local communities are searching coastlines and surrounding waters.

But New Ireland Governor Byron Chan said dangerous conditions were making the recovery difficult.

Strong winds and rough seas are keeping smaller vessels from reaching open water until the afternoon.

By then, he said, powerful currents may have already carried victims beyond the islands.

"Bodies are bypassing everyone, every island," he said.

"Especially the young ones who are not so heavy, they'll be drifting past."

New Ireland journalist Rebecca Marigu, who joined search teams near Djaul Island this week, said locals reported seeing three bodies near Sumuna village on Wednesday, but a returning boat could not retrieve them because it was already carrying passengers.

Mr Chan has requested support from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) Navy, saying larger vessels were needed.

The ABC has contacted the PNGDF for comment.

In East New Britain, governor Michael Marum has been meeting with relatives of those missing and recovered.

He said many of those lost came from the same families and villages.

"It is sad to see we lose these families," he said.

Pastors and community leaders have remained in close contact with grieving families since the boats disappeared.

Mr Marum said the disaster was among the worst Papua New Guinea had seen since the sinking of the Rabaul Queen ferry in 2012, which killed at least 140 people.

"It is probably one of the ones with the highest number," he said.

Authorities say accounts from the surviving boat operators point to dangerous sea conditions as the cause of the incident.

They say the group left Pangpang Island for Kokopo about 3:30pm when rough seas struck.

A sudden swell lifted the stern of one boat, causing it to capsize and send passengers into the water.

The second boat attempted a rescue but also overturned as people tried to climb aboard.

Police have dismissed speculation of piracy and urged the public to rely on official information while recovery efforts continued.

The tragedy has prompted renewed calls for stronger maritime safety enforcement across PNG as authorities respond to multiple incidents at sea in recent days.

Mr Chan said his province was already dealing with another maritime tragedy, after a passenger boat carrying nine people reportedly capsized while travelling from Muliama to Anir Island on July 14.

Three people managed to swim ashore at Tefa Island, while six others remained missing.

"I was with the families of those missing from Anir. One body [was] just recovered [on Wednesday]," Mr Chan said.

A separate search is also underway in Bougainville, where three people remain missing after a banana boat disappeared while travelling from Nissan Island to Buka on July 18, the same day as the East New Britain incident.

Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Jelta Wong said existing safety requirements, including compulsory GPS trackers and life jackets, needed stronger enforcement.

"We need to learn some hard lessons from this tragedy," he said.

The PNG National Weather Service has renewed strong wind warnings across the Bismarck Sea, including East New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville, urging small vessels to remain ashore until conditions improve.