11 (including 3 children) missing at sea

A search and rescue operation has been launched for 11 people, including 3 children, who have been missing at sea since Tuesday (December 29, 2014), The National reports.

It is reported that the missing had left Baluan Island in Manus on a 23ft dinghy powered by two 40hp engines and were expected to arrive at Pana Island in Madang the next day.

The dinghy left Baluan for Panna Island. Image from climatechallengervoyage.net
Relatives reported the dinghy missing last Friday and a search and rescue operation was organized on Monday. It was also reported that a relative saw a miscall from one of the missing on Sunday.

Disaster & Emergency authorities say they will coordinate with the mobile carrier to pinpoint where the miscall originated and assist in the rescue operation. It is believed that the dinghy may be drifting toward Wuvulu Islands.

Meanwhile the National Weather Service has issued strong wind warnings for people traveling by sea.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PNG sprinter wins double in Australian championship

Image
Toea Wisil takes out 100 and 200 meter gold Papua New Guinea’s sprint Queen Toea Wisil has won the double sprint at the Australian Athletics Championship in Sydney at the weekend. She clocked in 11.42 seconds to win the 100 meters and 23.76 to take the 200 meters. Toea Wisil nudges out Melissa Breen in a race in Canberra last month. /  Photo: Matt King, The Canberra Times The 28 year old Queensland based Jiwakan’s win confirms her place as one of the best female sprinters in the Oceania region. Wisil etched out Australia’s Melissa Breen by 0.22 of a second at the 100m sprint to claim gold. However, her win has caused some upset at the meet. According to The Canberra Times, Breen’s coach Matt Beckenham has questioned the rules of the championship after Breen’s claim to silver despite being technically the fastest Australian in the race. Beckenham aired his displeasure on Twitter saying that while Wisil was a “deserving winner”, “the rules defy common sense.” This rule
Read more

Asylum porn stars on Manus Island

Image
Manus MP, Ronny Knight The Manus island processing center has been the center of controversy since its inception. However, new information is revealing there is more dirt hidden amidst the facilities. According to Manus Open MP, Hon Ronny Knight, the asylum seekers and local girls employed at the center are producing pornographic videos. Posting on social site, Facebook, the MP said: “I just viewed a shocking phone video of the xxx rated type featuring asylum seekers in the camp and young Manus girls working there! I am going to take this clip to the Australian High Commission and show how out of control G4s has allowed these people to become!! This clip is truly sickening.” The Manus processing centre has been the topic of controversy for violation against human rights with Amnesty International describing it as “[sic]…cruel, inhuman, degrading and violating prohibitions against torture…”
Read more

4 nationals arrested in relation to cocaine haul

Image
Port Moresby - Four Papua New Guinean nationals have been arrested in connection to the recent million kina cocaine hau l. According to Commissioner of Police David Manning , two male suspects were arrested at the Sunset Lodge in Papa-Lealea on July 30 and a further two were arrested at Manu Autoport the next day with around AU$40,000 (PGK100,000) cash in their possession along with a few electrical items intended as gifts for locals who had assisted them. Manning said the suspects confessed the location of the drugs which was retrieved the same day.    Meanwhile, Post Courier (04 August) has reported a "highly placed intelligence official" saying high profile Papua New Guineans, politicians. rogue members of security forces and businessmen are linked to the drug trade.  The source said their reports indicate the pilot, David John Cutmore, had flown numerous "drug sorties" from Australia into Papua New Guinea. He further added that certain elements in Foreign Affai
Read more