INTERVIEW - SKY NEWS WITH TERRY WILLESEE AND ASHLEIGH GILLON
2 November 2009
Subjects: Vessel in distress 350 nm from Cocos Island
WILLESEE: There has been a tragedy over night and it’s our top story today. Up to 15 people have been rescued after their vessel sank off the west Australia coast. Grave fears are held for the remaining passengers onboard the boat which was believed to be carrying approximately 40 people. Joining us from Canberra is Sky News political reporter Ashleigh Gillon who’s speaking with the Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor.
GILLON: Minister, good morning. What’s the latest on the rescue operation? How many people have now been plucked safely from the water?
O’CONNOR: The latest advice I’ve received is that 17 people have been recovered and are on commercial vessels that are in the area. This is a search and rescue that’s been assisted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. They are coordinating the search. This search and rescue zone, by the way, that’s a third of the world’s ocean surface, 53 million square kilometres. So it’s a very large area for us to assist and we are doing that in this very difficult circumstance.
GILLON: So you’ve rescued 17 people, how many people do you believe are still missing?
O’CONNOR: We can’t determine that at this point. What we do know is that there was a distress signal sent to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority late yesterday, some time yesterday and we immediately contacted vessels in the vicinity. Initial indications are from a commercial vessel on site, were that there are approximately 40 people were believed to be onboard but that has yet to be verified. The other difficulty confronting the two vessels that are in the vicinity is that it’s not yet light. It will be at least one hour until light and therefore it’s been a very difficult operation. And things hopefully will be easier in terms of searching for any passengers that may still be requiring assistance once there is light. Once they can clearly see in their area.
GILLON: Is there any indication that the boat was carrying asylum seekers and can you just clarify for us, is this boat actually in Australian waters?
O’CONNOR: The vessel itself is more than 2,000 km; it’s 1,300 km, NM northwest of the mainland. It’s 350 NM northwest of Cocos Island. So it’s, you know, it’s almost a week’s sea travel away, and we have a vessel going to the assistance and is still one and half days away from the area. We also have a—we also have a RAAF P-3 surveillance aircraft which is approximately, I am advised, 4 hours from the scene. So we are talking that whilst it’s in the Australian Maritime—whilst it’s in Australia’s search and rescue zone, as I’ve said the rescue zone is 53 million km2. It’s a third of the world’s ocean surface and therefore it’s a very difficult challenge. And we are therefore relying upon the two commercial vessels that have provided us with assistance to those passengers on that vessel that sunk.
GILLON: But do you know yet if that boat was carrying asylum seekers?
O’CONNOR: No, look, the issue as to the passengers or the purpose of the voyage has yet to be determined. At this point, all efforts that are being made are being made to rescue those at sea. We are working very closely with the commercial vessels and we of course sent both aircraft and maritime efforts to the area in order to provide assistance.
GILLON: It is likely though isn’t it, that this boat is carrying asylum seekers.
O’CONNOR: Look, at this point, there is no point in speculating as to the purpose of the vessel or the reasons for passengers on the vessel. It’s really important now that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority assists the two commercial vessels and along with the RAAF aircraft that we have sent to the location and should be there within 4 hours, and also of course our own maritime vessel that is about 36 to 40 hours away. We need to make sure we focus our efforts in rescuing people at sea. The question as to why they are there, the purpose of them being on a vessel is at this point not the priority of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
GILLON: What do you plan to do with the survivors, at this stage, are there any plans to take them to Christmas Island?
O’CONNOR: At this point we want to make sure that we save those people that have been in a unseaworthy vessel. We want to make sure we work with the commercial vessels that are in the area and ensure that the safety and wellbeing of these passengers that have been rescued are in fact—are in fact the first and only matter that should be considered at this point. Once we’ve done that, we can certainly work through those other issues. But at this point, it’s in our search and rescue zone, we are working with the commercial vessels and we’ll continue to do so until we’ve done everything we can to rescue these people who have been on a unseaworthy vessel.
GILLON: Just finally, what’s the latest on the 78 asylum seekers onboard the Oceanic Viking? Is there any progress there in terms of getting them to leave that ship peacefully and what’s your reaction to reports today that some of the asylum seekers onboard are threatening to kill themselves unless they are taken to Australia?
O’CONNOR: I’ve heard of media reports and speculations in relation to concerns that might be expressed by passengers of the Oceanic Viking. At this point, I’m advised that the—there is good cooperation between the passengers and the personnel of Oceanic Viking. We are working with the Indonesian authorities to ensure that we realise the agreement struck between the two countries. This is of course the culmination of a rescue in the Indonesian search and rescue zone, but we want to do this calmly and we want to work these matters through with the passengers and the Indonesian authorities and will continue to do so.
GILLON: Minister, how can there be good cooperation when the 78 asylum seekers are refusing to leave the Australian’s custom ship?
O’CONNOR: Well, as I’ve said to you, the manner in which things are being handled on the vessel are reportedly good. People—the wellbeing of the passengers is the priority of the personnel on the Oceanic Viking and that I’m advised is also good. And whilst there are some issues as to the transfer of the passengers, the fact is, it’s calm on the vessel. And we want to make sure it remains calm as we work through these matters with both countries’ authorities so we can have the passengers transferred to Indonesian soil pursuant to the agreement that was struck between the two countries.
GILLON: Home Affairs Minister, Brendan O’Connor, thanks for your time this morning.
O’CONNOR: Thank you very much.
