Nearby training crew to shed light on disaster – HARBOUR TRAGEDY
Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 May 2008: 6.
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Abstract
“We were able to respond very, very quickly,” Mr [Peter Parsons] said. “They were quick enough to ensure that we took control.”
He appealed for any witnesses to the accident to come forward. He said two fishermen who rendered assistance immediately after the accident, whom he described as “heroes”, had not yet been identified or interviewed by police and he urged them to make contact.
Full Text
POLICE believe the close proximity of a crew on a training exercise will help investigators determine the cause of yesterday’s boating disaster.
NSW Police, the state coroner and maritime authorities have all launched inquiries into the accident that killed five people.
NSW police Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons said yesterday that the crew on the training exercise arrived at the scene within minutes of the accident.
“We were able to respond very, very quickly,” Mr Parsons said. “They were quick enough to ensure that we took control.”
Mr Parsons said that once the difficult job of identifying the deceased and contacting relatives was completed, the case would revolve around forensic investigation, along with witness interviews and victim statements.
“This will come down to a good hard criminal investigation,” he said.
“The victims are our primary focus. With that will come the forensic side of things.”
He appealed for any witnesses to the accident to come forward. He said two fishermen who rendered assistance immediately after the accident, whom he described as “heroes”, had not yet been identified or interviewed by police and he urged them to make contact.
The fishing trawler Jordon’s, owned by Peter Evans, and the boat owned by Sydney Ship Repair and Engineering were towed to thedocks at the NSW Marine Command Centre at Balmain shortly before 6am yesterday.
Numerous detectives and officers from the Forensic Services Group pored over the boat.
Police set up two large blue tents on the dock and manoeuvered them to obscure any clear view of the boat as the five bodies were removed before being transported to Glebe morgue.