ID :
78593
Sun, 09/06/2009 - 13:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/78593
The shortlink copeid
Govt `will release` Afghan boat footage
Defence Minister Senator John Faulkner has promised to release all video,
photographs and the report surrounding a blast aboard an asylum seeker boat that
left five people dead.
The minister on Saturday said he would release the material "at the earliest
possible opportunity", once current investigations by Northern Territory authorities
had been completed.
The SIEV 36, carrying 47 asylum seekers and two crew, was intercepted by the Navy in
waters off Australia's northwestern coast on April 15.
The boat was being taken to Christmas Island the next day when it exploded near
Ashmore Reef, killing five of those on board and injuring more than 40.
The Weekend Australian on Saturday reported that sources who had seen footage of the
early morning disaster said asylum seekers struggling in the ocean after the blast
were repelled and kicked from inflatable rescue boats.
The footage has not been made public and it is not known if any of those who were
stopped from boarding the rescue boats were among the dead.
The paper reported that the Defence department had said the priority of rescue
parties was to attend to their own personnel, who had been blown into the sea after
the vessel exploded.
"There is no evidence to suggest that any inappropriate actions took place at all,"
the paper quoted a department source as saying.
The department on Saturday told AAP it could not confirm or deny the claims without
ministerial approval.
But a departmental spokeswoman said that in similar situations, the priority was to
rescue any Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel who may have fallen into the
water before helping others.
"In accounting for, or recovering all ADF personnel first, the unit is the more
readily able to regroup and assist with the rescue operation with all available
hands," the spokeswoman told AAP.
She said all images taken by Defence officials of the SIEV 36 blast had been passed
on to the Northern Territory Police which, along with the Territory coroner's
office, are leading an investigation into the incident.
"A Defence inquiry was conducted into the incident and this is now complete," the
spokeswoman said.
"The inquiry team is liaising with other civilian agencies conducting investigations
into the matter to ensure there is no conflict between this inquiry and the
investigations of those other agencies.
"It is not appropriate to comment further before the lead investigating agency has
completed its inquiry."
Senator Faulkner later on Saturday told AAP that the video, photographs and the
Defence report on the incident would be released.
"While there is an ongoing police investigation into the loss of lives on SIEV 36,
at the earliest possible opportunity I will release all the Defence reports into the
incident and I will release Defence's complete photographic and video record of the
incident.
"Of course, most of the imagery is currently subject to the investigation being
undertaken by the Northern Territory authorities."
photographs and the report surrounding a blast aboard an asylum seeker boat that
left five people dead.
The minister on Saturday said he would release the material "at the earliest
possible opportunity", once current investigations by Northern Territory authorities
had been completed.
The SIEV 36, carrying 47 asylum seekers and two crew, was intercepted by the Navy in
waters off Australia's northwestern coast on April 15.
The boat was being taken to Christmas Island the next day when it exploded near
Ashmore Reef, killing five of those on board and injuring more than 40.
The Weekend Australian on Saturday reported that sources who had seen footage of the
early morning disaster said asylum seekers struggling in the ocean after the blast
were repelled and kicked from inflatable rescue boats.
The footage has not been made public and it is not known if any of those who were
stopped from boarding the rescue boats were among the dead.
The paper reported that the Defence department had said the priority of rescue
parties was to attend to their own personnel, who had been blown into the sea after
the vessel exploded.
"There is no evidence to suggest that any inappropriate actions took place at all,"
the paper quoted a department source as saying.
The department on Saturday told AAP it could not confirm or deny the claims without
ministerial approval.
But a departmental spokeswoman said that in similar situations, the priority was to
rescue any Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel who may have fallen into the
water before helping others.
"In accounting for, or recovering all ADF personnel first, the unit is the more
readily able to regroup and assist with the rescue operation with all available
hands," the spokeswoman told AAP.
She said all images taken by Defence officials of the SIEV 36 blast had been passed
on to the Northern Territory Police which, along with the Territory coroner's
office, are leading an investigation into the incident.
"A Defence inquiry was conducted into the incident and this is now complete," the
spokeswoman said.
"The inquiry team is liaising with other civilian agencies conducting investigations
into the matter to ensure there is no conflict between this inquiry and the
investigations of those other agencies.
"It is not appropriate to comment further before the lead investigating agency has
completed its inquiry."
Senator Faulkner later on Saturday told AAP that the video, photographs and the
Defence report on the incident would be released.
"While there is an ongoing police investigation into the loss of lives on SIEV 36,
at the earliest possible opportunity I will release all the Defence reports into the
incident and I will release Defence's complete photographic and video record of the
incident.
"Of course, most of the imagery is currently subject to the investigation being
undertaken by the Northern Territory authorities."
