Tongan police say 73 people are unaccounted for after the sinking of the ferry Princess Ashika - 20 fewer than previously thought.
The 36-year-old vessel sank around midnight on August 5, 86km northeast of the island's capital of Nuku'alofa.
Through checking shipping manifests and survivor statements, police were able to confirm 73 people were still unaccounted for, Tongan police commander Chris Kelley said in a statement.
"As at 1030hrs this morning we can confidently say that the number of persons reported on board the vessel now stands at 129.
"The reason for the decrease in numbers from 151 to 129 comes after detailed checking, confirmation inquiries with relatives, establishing correct identities with manifest records and statements of survivors who remember people on board."
Tongan police confirmed two dead with 54 survivors.
Of those unaccounted for, 67 were on the ferry when it sank, Mr Kelley said.
"We are left with six unconfirmed persons, four of whom we believe are foreign nationals whose identity we know but do not have confirmation as having been sighted on board."
The 54 survivors were all men, with most of the women and children sleeping in their cabins when the ship went down.
The body of British man Daniel McMillan would be transported to New Zealand on Thursday, Mr Kelley said.
Tomorrow, New Zealand navy ship HMNZS Manawanui would return to Nuku'alofa, following a successful mini-submarine mission today to formally identify the sunken vessel.
Police intend to release pictures taken by the submarine on Thursday, after analysing the data collected.
