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ENCLOSURE 1HMAS ADELAIDEHMAS ADELAIDE was involved in SIEV 04 in vicinity of Christmas Island 7-10 Oct 01.No child, repeat no child was actually ever dropped or thrown overboard. A small child was threatened only, repeat threatened only, to be dropped or thrown overboard. Summary details are:a. 7 Oct 01b. Child held over the sidec. SIEV 04d. Timings are from ships log.0502(G) - having been boarded, it was reported that some SUNCs were threatening tojump overboard from SIEV 04.0508(G) - one SUNC jumped overboard and was recovered by ADELAIDE RHIB.(SITREP eight HMAS ADELAIDE 062200z OCT 01 refers).0543 (G) - 0609(G) 13 SUNCs then jumped overboard in several waves shortly aftersunrise 7 Oct 01 (SITREP nine HMAS ADELAIDE 062300z OCT 01 refers). Mostwore lifejackets though some discarded these. All were recovered by ADELAIDERHIB and all were returned to SIEV 04. One of the overboards was a young male,possibly a teenager, though opinion (not fact) on his actual age varied from 13-15 to 18- 22. All were males.Approx 0600(G) - During these man-overboard incidents a man took a child agedapprox five (5) years and dressed her in a lifejacket. He then took her to the SIEVsSTBD side (aft coach house/superstructure) and held her up and outboard over theguardrail. The RHIB was instructed to intervene. A verbal exchange with the RHIBcrew, other SUNCs and the man took place, and the child was then taken back inboardby the man, subsequently assisted by the boarding party. It was assessed at the time thatthe mans intent was to throw the child overboard as the RHIB was initially not in placeand secondly, the height from the coach house was too great to safely pass the child intothe boat. The Boarding Party regained control of the situation and the child was takenbelow deck.Approx 0739(G) - there was one more adult male overboard (total now 15) - he wassubsequently recovered by the RHIB (ADELAIDE SITREP - Eleven 070030Z OCT 01refers).e. ADELAIDE 101136z OCT 01 and 110455z OCT 01 refer in detail to the sequence ofmanoverboard events. 15 sworn eyewitness statements (passed by secure Email toCJTF 639 and MCAUST on 11 Oct 01) from the ships company (as viewed from theship, the RHIB and the SIEV) and a COs sworn statement (HMAS ADELAIDEADA/I3M 110330z OCT 01 refers) were provided. Throughout ADELAIDE had a fullview of the SIEVs port side and aft from less than approximately 200 yards and theRHIB and boarding party had a close view of the STBD side. At no stage, repeat no
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stage was a child recovered from the water. At no stage did the SUNCs subsequentlyreport a missing child. After the subsequent rescue of the 223 SUNCs from the wateron 10 Oct, the SUNCs confirmed no one, repeat no one was missing. There was noloss of life ever reported by the SUNCs.f.EOTS video footage and some digital stills exist as reported and passed SEPCOR.EOTS video shows a small child being held over ships side by an adult male. Digitalstills are inconclusive but show people preparing to jump and subsequently no longer inview, heads bobbing in the water in the distance, and subsequently males/youthsrecovered into the RHIB. All video and a CD of the 412 stills are held at MHQ.
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ENCLOSURE 2HMAS ARUNTAThreats of Children being thrown overboard as follows.Incident Onea. 290511Z8Oct 01b. During disturbance in which two male adult PIIs jumped overboard, one male PIIthreatened to throw child overboardc. SIEV 07d. SIEV 07 to be escorted by ARUNTA from ASHMORE Island to IndonesianTerritorial Waters. During the passage, several incidents occurred including attemptsto set fire to vessel and attempts by PIIs to set fire to themselves, including dousingthemselves with diesel fuel.e. Statements from members of the boarding party taken and held onboard ARUNTA.f. A video of this incident (not related to the incident of 24 Oct 01 in Ashmore Lagoon)is held by MCAUST.Incident Twoa. 310231Z0-310235Z4 Oct 01b. 1 x Male SUNC threatened to throw young infant overboard. Restrained by ArmyTSE personnel onboard SIEV.c. SIEV 09 - SINAE BONTANG III.d. ARUNTA, in company with BUNBURY and GLADSTONE, intercepted SIEV 09 inthe vicinity of Ashmore Islands during the period 31 Oct 4 Nov 01. SIEV 09 was a30-35 metre wooden vessel of small ferry like appearance. Engine was damaged byPII/Crew prior BUNBURY BP insertion. ARUNTA boarding party and TSE insertedand conducted handover from BUNBURY. Attempts to rectify defect and re-startengines repeatedly caused tension amongst PIIs and led to a series of incidents wherePII were restrained, adult PIIs jumped overboard and threatened to throw childrenoverboard .e. Statements from members of the Boarding Party and Boarding Officer taken and heldonboard ARUNTA.f. Unable to confirm Digital Imagery or Videos
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Incident Threea. 311217Z5 Oct 01b. One PII attempted to throw a child overboard, as another PII attempted to strangle achild. PIIs restrained children safe.c. SIEV 09 - SINAR BONTANG IIId. ARUNTA, in company with BUNBURY and GLADSTONE, intercepted SIEV 09 inthe vicinity of Ashmore Islands during the period 31 Oct 4 Nov 01. SIEV 09 was a30-35 metre wooden vessel of small ferry like appearance. Engine was damaged byPII/Crew prior BUNBURY BP insertion. ARUNTA boarding party and TSE insertedand conducted handover from BUNBURY. Attempts to rectify defect and re-startengines repeatedly caused tension amongst PIIs and led to a series of incidents wherePII were restrained, adult PIIs jumped overboard and threatened to throw childrenoverboard.e. Statements from members of the boarding party and boarding officer taken and heldonboard ARUNTAf. Unable to confirm digital imagery or videos heldIncident Foura. 010851Z5 0108552Z Nov 01b. During a disturbance onboard, 5 male PIIs jumped overboard whilst 1 x female PIIthreatened to throw young infant overboard. Restrained by Army TSE Personnelonboard SIEVc. SIEV 09 SINAR BONTANG IIId. ARUNTA, in company with BUNBURY and GLADSTONE, intercepted SIEV 09 inthe vicinity of Ashmore Islands during the period 31 Oct 4 Nov 01. SIEV 09 was a30-35 metre wooden vessel of small ferry like appearance. Engine was damaged byPII/Crew prior BUNBURY BP insertion. ARUNTA boarding party and TSE insertedand conducted handover from BUNBURY. Attempts to rectify defect and re-startengines repeatedly caused tension amongst PIIs and led to a series of incidents wherePII were restrained, adult PIIs jumped overboard and threatened to throw childrenoverboard.e. Statements from members of the boarding party and boarding officer taken and heldonboard ARUNTAf. Unable to confirm digital imagery or videos
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Incident Fivea. 020739Z1 Nov 01b. PII threatened to throw children overboard if not permitted to cook own food.c. SIEV 09 SINAR BONTANG IIId. ARUNTA, in company with BUNBURY and GLADSTONE, intercepted SIEV 09 inthe vicinity of Ashmore Islands during the period 31 Oct 4 Nov 01. SIEV 09 was a30-35 metre wooden vessel of small ferry like appearance. Engine was damaged byPII/Crew prior BUNBURY BP insertion. ARUNTA boarding party and TSE insertedand conducted handover from BUNBURY. Attempts to rectify defect and re-startengines repeatedly caused tension amongst PIIs and led to a series of incidents wherePII were restrained, adult PIIs jumped overboard and threatened to throw childrenoverboard .e. Statements from members of the boarding party and boarding officer taken and heldonboard ARUNTAf. Unable to confirm digital imagery or videos.Note:Regret inability to confirm status of imagery or video as all key ARUNTAPersonnel AOD undertaking PWT. Will forward follow up signal ASAP.
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ENCLOSURE 3HMAS WARRAMUNGADuring boarding operations in vicinity of Ashmore Island (AI) of SIEV 03 the boardingofficer, LCDR Gregg, witnessed one young child (approx age 2-3 years) being heldoutboard by a female PII.Details as follows:a. 12 Sep 01 at 1824(I/K)b.Threatened b. SIEV 03 (KM SUMBER BAHAGIA)c. Following is extract of statement by LCDR Gregg Quote after conducting a visualsearch of both starboard and port sides of the vessel for any dangers I proceeded torequest permission from the master to board KM SUMBER BAHAGIA in both Englishand Bahasa. Permission was received from the master at 1820 but the boarding area wasdominated by male PII's. Negotiations between male PIIs and I were conducted tomove them forward of the cargo hold on the weather deck. The majority complied withthe request and embarkation of BP commenced at 1831. One female PII was seen holding a child over the side and threatening to throw the child over the side. Onembarkation of the first element of the BP the remaining male PIIs in the embarkationarea were physically moved forward with the other male PIIs. The second BP elementembarked at 1823. At 1837, I detained the vessel KM BUMBER BAHAGIA inposition 1232.7S-12306.5E, approximately 9nm inside the Australian contiguous zone,approximately 15nm South of Ashmore Island. The Master acknowledged the vesselwas being detained in Bahasa. The Department of Immigration and MulticulturalAffairs notice to master and crew written in English and Bahasa was signed at 1920Unquote.e.Statement by LCDR Gregg was taken and passed onto AFP Rep in Darwin as part ofSIEV 03 evidence pack.g. Video or digital imagery was not taken.
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ENCLOSURE 4HMAS LEEUWINa.162000Z DEC 01b. SIEV 12c.Threatenedd.BP boarded SIEV 12 and SUNCs were initially calm. BP attempted to start SIEVengines without success. At this stage there was a sense of tension, then a report ofsmoke forward was reported. A group of young SUNCs were yelling and then moresmoke occurred from an area where fuel drums were present. At the same time a firewas lit aft. At this time the Quick Reaction Party were transferred to the SIEV toassist the BP. Also, at this time SUNCs were threatening to throw children over theside. These threats were intimated by taking children to side of SIEV anddemonstrating intent to drop children into the sea.e.No statements held.f.No digital imagery or vidoes held of this incident.
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ENCLOSURE 5HMAS WOLLONGONGa. 081650 (I/K Nov 01)b.Not observedb. SIEV 10 SUMBER LESTARId.As a result of the torching and subsequent sinking of SIEV 10 by PIIs, 33 childrenunder the age of 12 were recovered from the water by WOLLONGONG and ACVARNHEM BAY crew. During the incident, PIIs were abandoning ship en masse.Some children were observed being held by adults as they entered the water. Themethod of entry into the water by the remaining children cannot be determined.Members of WOLLONGONG Boarding party do not recall any person physicallydropping or throwing a child overboard. Worthy to note that WOLLONGONG andARNHEM BAY recovered several children without parents in attendance andconducted boat transfers between the vessels for family reunification purposes.e.Statements recorded by CO, NO, all members of boarding party, SMET Team, and boatcrews. Copies held by CO WOLLONGONG, HQNORCOM J06 and AFP.f.No digital imagery or video of the incident exists, however still images and negatives ofgeneral SOLAS incident are held by CO WOLLONGONG.
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ENCLOSURE 6HMAS BENDIGOa. 24 Oct 01 1000 I/K (0030Z)b. [/b]Child approximately three years old was dangled over side by the arm and thendropped into water[/b].c. SIEV 07d. BENDIGO had relieved WHYALLA at Ashmore at 232300z and assumed custody ofSIEV 07. About one hour after WHYALLA departure approximately fifteen PIIsjumped overboard and started swimming away from SIEV 07. Majority of swimmerswere wearing life jackets. Three RHIBS were in the water trying to recover swimmers(one from BENDIGO and two from ACV ROEBUCK BAY). Remaining PIIs in SIEV07 gathered on STBD side of vessel yelling and screaming at men in water. One femalePII dangled a young child over the side by its arm. Other women in the area wereyelling and screaming and the child was screaming. The woman then dropped thechild into the water. One of the male PIIs in the water swam to the child and recoveredit holding it out of the water on his chest. He then returned to SIEV 07 with the childand was assisted by other PIIs to recover himself and the child from the water.e. Two statements taken from ABETW Flenley and ABBM Levi. The only two membersof boarding party who witnessed entire incident. Other members sighted child in waterbut did not witness female dropping child. Statements passed to and held by CJTF 639staff at HQNORCOM.f. Nil digital or video imagery of incident.
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ENCLOSURE 7HMAS DUBBOa. 011200Z NOV 99b.Holding children over the vessels side as BP approached. Not clear to BP whether thiswas undertaken in a threatening manner or to merely indicate that children were onboard SIEVc. HARAP AN SATUd.DUBBO conducting operations in vicinity of Ashmore Reef investigating andsubsequently boarding possible SIEV. After boarding vessel was directed to anchor atAI as propulsion plant had been sabotaged. Once vessel was at anchor a processing andmedical team was despatched and passports were found to have been thrown overboard.e.Statements were taken, whereabouts unknown (unsigned copy of CO statement held inDUBBO but does not mention incident) members of BP in North Australian Area arePOB Watkins (COMAUSNAVPBGRP) and AB Twine (DUBBO)f.No imagery
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ENCLOSURE 8HMAS BUNBURYHMAS BUNBURY has not observed any children being thrown overboard however duringSIEV 06 operations the ships boat crew and BP observed one child being threatened.a. 220814(I/K) 7 Oct 01b.Threatened.c.SIEV 06d.As BUNBURY Boarding Party closed to board SIEV 06 the boats crew and severalmembers of the Boarding Party observed a large male standing atop the vesselscoachhouse. He picked up a young girl (aged 4-5 years) by one leg and held her overthe STBD side of the vessel and started yelling. The young girl appeared verydistressed. All observers noted that she had a cast on her left arm. As this occurredBUNBURYs CBM started removing his webbing in order to enter the water after thegirl. The RHIB was ordered to board the vessel shortly afterwards and as they moved inthe man released the child. It was estimated that the child was upside down forapproximately 15-20 sec.d. Nil statements held.e.Nil ImageryNote:Incident was noted in the Ships Boarding Log in the handwriting of the previousCO (LCDR Michelle Miller). It is not known whether she observed the incident or noted itin the Log after the BP reported it.
