Interview with Foreign Minister Stephen Smith by Stephen Spencer, Channel 10
Topic: Search for mining executives charter plane
Transcript, proof copy E&OE
21 June 2010
NEWSREADER: A short time ago Foreign Minister Stephen Smith spoke to Ten's Stephen Spencer about the search for the missing aircraft.
STEPHEN SMITH: It's the middle of the night now in west Africa so the search has concluded for the day. The search didn't bring to light any conclusive evidence or conclusive results, so subject to weather conditions the search will resume at first light tomorrow - with both fixed wing aircraft and also helicopters. And of course we remain very seriously concerned about the welfare of the six Australians missing.
REPORTER: Cameroon officials say there's just been nothing heard of this plane - no eyewitness reports, no emergency alerts. It's just disappeared.
STEPHEN SMITH: Well there were two, as I am advised, call signals from the plane after departure - one a couple of minutes after lift-off, and then one 30 minutes in. But neither of those drew attention to any difficulty.
Because there was a second call sign 30 minutes in, the general search area is close to the Cameroon/Congo/Gabon border, where the three countries intersect.
And that's heading in the direction of where the iron ore precinct and the iron ore project is involved. So that'll resume tomorrow. The Cameroon authorities obviously have responsibility for the search. But they're working very closely with Sundance Resources.
I spoke to the Chief Financial Officer late last night, and both the company and the Australian Government are happy with the arrangements put in place for the search. But we'll continue to provide assistance to the company, and also provide consular assistance to the families who of course are going through a very difficult time at the moment.
REPORTER: What were weather conditions like in the area at the time?
STEPHEN SMITH: I'm told that other than a couple of instances of cloud cover, the weather conditions were okay both on the day of the flight and also the day of the search. It's not the wet season, so that does help. But tomorrow at first light, whether the search continues will of course be subject to good weather.
REPORTER: Australia wouldn't have any military assets in that region, would it? Who are we relying on to conduct this search?
STEPHEN SMITH: We're relying upon the Cameroon authorities to direct and control the search. But as I say, they're working very closely with the company itself, with Sundance Resources. They're pleased with the cooperation they are receiving. They are applying one of their own helicopters to the search, and there are also suggestions that other mining companies will also render assistance so far as helicopters are concerned to assist the search.
REPORTER: Is there anything more we can be doing with companies or Governments in that region to perhaps get more aircraft looking?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well at this stage we're satisfied that the search is being conducted appropriately. We will continue to obviously monitor that, to work closely with the company; but yesterday, when the search was being effected, there were three or four planes in the air, a couple of helicopters, and at this stage we regard the presence as being appropriate. But my understanding is it will be added to tomorrow with additional helicopters.
REPORTER: Minister, thank you very much for joining us.
STEPHEN SMITH: Thank you.
ENDS
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