Maps Raise More Questions
3 July 2002 (Updated 10:40pm) The aerial surveillance maps raise more questions than they answer:
- Why is the path of the first P3C flight on 19 October (the day SIEVX sank) so much shorter than those of the other flights? Although the Orion was reportedly 'on task' for five and a quarter hours that morning, it covered far less territory than the other surveillance flights. The flight on the 18th was about 45 minutes shorter but covered about twice as much ground, as did the flight on the 20th. Might the discrepancy be because they looked for and found (or looked for and did not find) SIEVX but now not want to admit to this?
- Why are the words 'Selat Sunda' (Sunda Strait) persistently misplaced on all the maps? This is most striking on the surface detection maps for 18 October and 20 October but is a consistent error across all maps. (Compare with this map, for example.) This is seriously misleading. Was it accidental, or was it done to try to bolster the false claim that SIEVX sank in the Sunda Strait?
- Note how on 18 October the Orions were detecting vessels up to 20 miles outside the limits of the NW surveillance zone, going up towards and into the Sunda Strait. But not on 19 or 20 October. Were there really fewer boats around in these locations on 19 and 20 than on 18 (hard to see why), or weren't they looking so far outside their zone boundary on these two days? If so, why not? (Questions 2 and 3 suggested by Tony Kevin)
Other SIEVX news:
Down To Layer 5
2 July 2002
According to Margo Kingston, finding out the truth about the SIEVX Affair is like peeling an onion, and we're down to layer 5.
Kirsten Lawson reports on the change of story by the Defence Force regarding knowledge and surveillance of SIEVX, while
Cameron Stewart reports on the gap in aerial surveillance on the day the boat sank.
See also: Hiding Behind the Military
Aerial Surveillance Maps On SMH Site
1 July 2002
Update:
Margo Kingston's Web Diary has just put up the 12 aerial surveillance maps provided to the SMH by Defence Minister Robert Hill's Office.
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