John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hutchins for the question. Two evenings ago defence personnel and aircraft were deployed at very short notice on what we all fervently hoped was a rescue mission. As news of the tragedy of the crash filtered back from what is very thick and difficult jungle terrain, the imperatives of the mission unfortunately changed. Thirteen lost their lives, nine of them Australians. The government of course is determined to do everything it can to assist in the recovery and repatriation of the Australians.

ADF efforts will concentrate on supporting the work of the disaster victim identification team and the PNG authorities at the crash site and the recovery of those who were lost in the tragedy. Teams have begun cutting a helicopter landing pad close to the crash site. A three-man victim identification team is currently on-site, and a second three-man team and a supervisor will be winched onto the crash site this afternoon along with additional supplies and equipment. They will be sustained at the site by helicopters, including ADF Black Hawks. The remaining members of the disaster victim identification personnel are currently located in Port Moresby and they will be rotated through the crash site as required.