![The Tongan Naval vessel Pangai searches for survivors after the sinking.](https://www.odt.co.nz/sites/default/files/styles/odt_portrait_medium_3_4/public/story/2016/04/the_tongan_naval_vessel_pangai_searches_for_surviv_2140169637.jpg?itok=39T1-S_g)
Sione Aho was among those still missing remembered at a service of about 500 mainly Tongan people in Auckland on Sunday night, Radio New Zealand reported.
It is believed Mr Aho was on board the ferry Princess Ashika when it sank, claiming the lives of up to 95 of the 149 people on board last Wednesday.
Mr Aho, known as "Big John" in North Otago rugby circles, played club rugby for Maheno in 2008.
He played four games for North Otago the same year.
North Otago Rugby Football Union chief executive Colin Jackson said the sinking was tragic.
"Our thoughts go out to [Aho's] family. It is an absolute tragedy."
Maheno captain Ross Hay said Mr Aho was a "really nice guy".
Poor weather in Tonga means it could be Wednesday before divers are able to resume the search for the ferry, which sank last week with 93 people presumed to be trapped inside.
Tongan police and divers are warning the ship may never be found. Even if it is, it could be too deep to recover any bodies.
There were an estimated 149 people on board when the ferry slipped into the sea, 86km northeast of the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofa.
Two bodies and 54 survivors have been found, while 93 people are presumed drowned after being trapped in the vessel.
They include 33 women and 10 children, who were sleeping on the lower indoor decks.
A team of New Zealand and Australian navy divers did exploratory dives with remote equipment yesterday.
They had hoped to expand that search area today to investigate an oil source but poor weather forced them to abandon the search.
Royal New Zealand Navy commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Andrew McMillan said the dive team hoped to get out on the water late tomorrow but the weather forecast was poor for tomorrow as well.
Waves of between two and three metres meant they could not launch their boat.
Divers were using the same equipment that was used in the search for helicopter pilot Morgan Saxton in Lake Wanaka last year, but this search was very different, he said.
The 50m ship had sunk in difficult undersea topography, with depths ranging from 35-800m. Their equipment was only effective to 115m at the most.
Lt Cdr McMillan said it was like searching for a car parked on an area the size of five or six rugby fields in complete darkness with a flashlight pointed directly at the ground.
The New Zealand Navy ship Manawanui was on its way, and if Princess Ashika was found it would help in any attempts to retrieve bodies.