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GEOFF HUTCHISON: We began today by talking about the nine people, including six Australians, missing between Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. We've just been joined by the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith. Mr Smith, good morning to you.

STEPHEN SMITH: Good morning, Geoff.

GEOFF HUTCHISON: The search, I understand, is going to resume in perhaps three hours from now. What can you tell us about the nature of it?

STEPHEN SMITH: Well, the search that was conducted yesterday, Cameroon time, didn't lead to any conclusions or significant findings. It's still dark in West Africa now but at first light this morning, their time, the search, subject to good weather conditions, the search will resume.

We've got three or four aircraft involved and more than one helicopter. The search is being coordinated by the Cameroon authorities but they're working in close consultation with Sundance Resources and I spoke to their chief financial officer late - late last night.

We've got our High Commissioner to Nigeria on the ground in Cameroon and we'll have two other officers there by the end of today to render assistance on the ground and to liaise with the Cameroon authorities. We are now very much in the hands of the searchers but, of course, we're very, very worried about six Australians and this is, of course, a very distressing time for the families. So obviously our thoughts are with them and their fellow workmates at the company.

GEOFF HUTCHISON: Has the Department of Foreign Affairs been able to establish what it thinks has happened?

STEPHEN SMITH: Well, it's way too early for that. Our first and primary concern now is to try and locate the missing plane. What we do know is that pretty quickly after take-off the charter plane made contact with ground control - that was a few minutes after take-off - and then 30 minutes into the flight, which was of about an hour's duration, it also made a pretty standard contact.

So the general search area is focused on the border area between Cameroon and the Congo and also Gabon, which is where… There's an iron ore precinct near where the three countries intersect and Sundance Resources have had an interest in an iron ore project there for a number of years. The flight was going from the Cameroon to the Congo to enable the board members to examine and have consultations and meetings over the project.

So that's where the general search area is focused but we do know that conditions on the ground are very difficult. It's dense rainforest or dense jungle.

Fortunately it's not the wet season so yesterday I'm told generally conditions were fine and we hope that conditions will be fine in a few hours time to enable the search to resume.

GEOFF HUTCHISON: And the concern being though that there's a lot of rainforest in the area, that - that where we're talking; very, very dense...

STEPHEN SMITH: We're talking very...

GEOFF HUTCHISON: A dense environment.

STEPHEN SMITH: Yes, that's right. We're talking very difficult terrain, very difficult terrain in trying to identify where, if anywhere, the plane may have - may have gone down but just difficult terrain in terms of observation from the sky and also getting in, in terms of access on the ground.

GEOFF HUTCHISON: So really at this stage every - everyone is doing what they can. You're comfortable with what the Cameroon government is able to provide and you have consular access there as well.

STEPHEN SMITH: We've been working very closely with the Cameroon authorities but also with the Gabon authorities and the Congo authorities because, in some respects, there are three interests. We're also conscious of trying to make sure that - that areas close to the border in Gabon and the Congo are also covered.

And so those two governments are also operating cooperatively with Cameroon - with the Cameroon authorities.

The company itself has been in very close contact with the Cameroon authorities, whilst the Cameroon authorities have responsibility and are directing the search, the company has got a very substantial input into that and the advice I have is that it's more than likely that additional aerial assets will be provided today - helicopters, additional helicopters from other mining companies and the prospect of further fixed wing aerial surveillance. We're happy at this stage that everything that can be done is being done.

We're obviously keeping in very close contact with the company, both through our officials in Perth but also in Canberra and also on the ground in Cameroon where we have a presence to liaise directly with the authorities. But it is - I wouldn't describe my position as comfortable, but I'm satisfied that everything that can be done is being done. It is, you know, a very worrying and distressing time for the families and the fellow managers of the company and their employees so our thoughts are very much with them at a very difficult time.

GEOFF HUTCHISON: I appreciate your comments this morning. Thank you very much.

STEPHEN SMITH: Thanks, Geoff, thanks very much.

GEOFF HUTCHISON: Stephen Smith is the Foreign Minister.

ENDS

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