Fed: Final outcomes of blast probe will take months: NT police
17 Apr 2009 6:14 PM
DARWIN, April 17 AAP - Police say it will be months before they release the formal findings of an investigation into the fatal blast that killed and injured asylum seekers in Australian waters.
Northern Territory police are leading the investigation into Thursday's fatal blast aboard a vessel carrying 49 foreign nationals off the country's northwest coast.
Three died and two are missing. All of the others were injured, many seriously.
NT Police Assistant Commissioner Mark McAdie, who is leading the probe, on Friday said no findings would be made public until the coroner had competed an official coronial inquiry.
That could take several months, Mr McAdie said.
In the meantime, officers have started what will be an intensive round of interviews to determine what happened.
"We will start to interview ADF personnel this afternoon," Mr McAdie told reporters in Darwin.
"We expect this to be lengthy.
"The investigation is prospectively difficult and complex, but we may find, after talking to all of the witnesses, that it will be less difficult and complex."
NT Police are leading the investigation because the explosion, which sank the vessel, happened at the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, which lie within the Northern Territory's jurisdiction.
Australian Federal Police and West Australian police are aiding the probe, which could result in criminal charges if officers find the explosion was a deliberate act.
Mr McAdie confirmed most of the 49 people on the vessel were adult males, with at least of two aged under 18.
"Two people are Indonesian," he also said.
He said those who did not require ongoing medical assistance would be taken to a Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) facility at Berrimah.
"But for the time being they will be staying in Darwin to help with the investigation," he said.
"Ultimately all of them will be interviewed.
"At the present stage these people are witnesses and will remain so until we gather forensic evidence and interview all of the Australian Defence Force personnel."
When the blast happened on Thursday, the wooden vessel was under the watch of navy personnel who had intercepted it a day earlier. It's been reported that it was en route to Australia from Indonesia.
Mr McAdie said forensic officers had taken possession of clothing from the injured asylum seekers at Royal Darwin Hospital.
"(The officers) are looking for evidence of what happened on the boat," he said.
"The course of the investigation will be determined by what we find as we go along."
West Australian Premier Colin Barnett on Thursday said he'd been advised that asylum seekers aboard the boat doused the vessel in fuel before the explosion.
The government has not confirmed that but has promised the investigation will look at all possibilities.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has promised the timely release of facts as they come to light.
"As each fact is determined and established we will make that public," he said on Friday.
"But prior to that I do not intend to engage in speculation on what might or may not be the case."
Mr McAdie said the investigation would be difficult because "parts of the crime scene are in deep water at 250 metres".
"Yes, the vessel is a crime scene, but this does not suggest that any criminal activity took place," he added.
"The starting point is to treat these deaths as suspicious deaths and since we have not spoken with any witnesses we have no insights into what happened."
Mr McAdie confirmed the search for the two missing asylum seekers was continuing.
"We have grave fears for the two people," he said.
He said there was debris in the water and a team had been sent to collect what they could before it disappeared.
He also confirmed that two bodies had arrived in Darwin aboard HMAS Albany on Friday. The third arrived on HMAS Childers later.
"The post mortems for the three victims will be conducted over the weekend," he said.
