Another boat missing after answering Labor's siren call

Daily Telegraph Blog
Miranda Devine
Thursday, June 13, 2013 (11:34am)

Thirty people were believed to be on board AMSA SAR 2013-3877, aka “Jayawe”, the 24-metre Sri-Lankan type vessel which our border protection aircraft have been searching for in the Indian Ocean northwest of Cocos Islands since receiving a “pan pan” or distress signal on Sunday. The search has now been suspended and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) says, “Concern is held for the safety” of the boat. This is what ASMA told me mid morning Thursday:

“The search for a vessel that may be disabled north-west of Cocos (Keeling) Islands concluded at last light local time yesterday (8pm AEST, 12 June). AMSA coordinated a three day search using two aircraft, including AMSA’s Perth-based Dornier and a RAAF P3 Orion, in an area more than 267 000 square nautical miles. The vessel was not relocated.

The vessel was initially detected by a RAAF maritime patrol aircraft, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, on Wednesday 5 June north west of Cocos (Keeling) Islands as it was tracking towards Cocos (Keeling) Islands under its own steam. The vessel was approximately 480 kilometres north west of Cocos (Keeling) Islands and approximately 3500 km north west of Perth.

After the vessel did not arrive at Cocos (Keeling) Islands at the time expected, a RAAF maritime patrol aircraft, operating under control of BPC, conducted a visual and radar search for the vessel. When the vessel was not relocated, the incident was referred to AMSA.

In addition to aerial searches, AMSA issued hourly broadcasts to shipping requesting ships report any sightings of the vessel. There have been no such reports.”

The original search and rescue communique from AMSA referred to a “pan pan” or distress call, from a 24-metre “Sri Lankan type” fishing vessel spotted north west of Cocos Island.

“The vessel has multiple persons onboard, distinctive yellow sides, a red stripe, blue hull with aft coachouse”. This is the latest AMSA communique:

Maritime Safety Information current at 130130 UTC JUN 13 Issued by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Australia)

Part 1. Distress, Urgency, CQ and Safety Messages:

SECURITE FM RCC AUSTRALIA 120757Z JUN 2013 AUSSAR 2013/3877 COCOS (KEELING) ISLAND - CHART AUS 4070 INDIAN OCEAN SOUTHERN PART CONCERN IS HELD FOR THE SAFETY OF A 24METRE SRI LANKAN TYPE FISHING VESSEL, ‘JAYAWE’. LAST KNOWN POSITION 08-55S 093-55E AT 050422UTC COURSE 120(T) SPEED 6 KNOTS. THE VESSEL HAS MULTIPLE PERSONS ONBOARD, DISTINCTIVE YELLOW SIDES, A RED STRIPE, BLUE HULL WITH AFT COACHOUSE. VESSELS TRANSITING WITHIN 700NM OF THE LAST KNOWN POSITION ARE REQUESTED TO REPORT PREVIOUS AND OR FUTURE SIGHTINGS TO THIS STATION OR RCC AUSTRALIA VIA TELEPHONE +61262306811 INMARSAT THROUGH LES BURUM (POR 212,IOR 312), SPECIAL ACCESS CODE (SAC) 39, HF DSC 005030001, EMAIL: rccaus@amsa.gov.au OR BY FAX +61262306868.

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