Three probes begin into sinking

THREE investigations are under way into the sinking of the boat laden with asylum-seekers after it hit the rocks at Christmas Island

THREE investigations are under way into the sinking of the boat laden with asylum-seekers after it hit the rocks at Christmas Island.

Julia Gillard yesterday announced the main investigation would be carried out by the West Australian coroner, while the Australian Federal Police would focus a criminal investigation on the people-smugglers, and an operational review would be carried out by Customs and Border Protection in case any immediate procedural changes were needed.

As well, the Prime Minister invited the opposition, the Greens and the independent MPs to form a standing group to receive reports from the government agencies involved, including Defence, Customs, the AFP and the Immigration Department.

"This will ensure all have access to the same reports and insights about this very tragic incident," Ms Gillard said.

Speaking to reporters after cutting short her holiday to deal with the tragedy, Ms Gillard said there were limits to the effectiveness of surveillance systems.

"The advice to me is the boat approached Christmas Island when it was dark and in extreme weather conditions, and consequently the boat was not detected until it was seen from Christmas Island itself," she said. "In very rough . . . and dangerous seas there is a limit to what can be achieved through the use of radar and other surveillance mechanisms."

A report is being prepared for the coroner on how terrified asylum-seekers called WA Police's emergency 000 number three times in 15 minutes after they realised they were heading for Christmas Island's rocky shore.

WA Assistant Commissioner Chris Dawson said the police operations centre in Perth received the calls at 6.50am, 6.58am and 7.05am (Perth time).

"They were calls from persons, we believe at this stage were on the boat," Mr Dawson said. "We immediately contacted the Australian Search and Rescue Authority, who were also co-ordinating with both Customs and Australian Defence Force navy assets."

Mr Dawson would not reveal what was said by the callers. "They were in broken English. So the calls were able to be understood so we were able to get a sense of what the call was about," he said. "They were calls from persons that the vessel was in distress."

WA Police have sent 13 officers to investigate. Four experienced detectives from the Major Crime Squad, four coronial investigators, three disaster victim identification officers and two search and rescue specialists arrived on Christmas Island early yesterday morning.

"Some of these people have experience with Bali, with the (2004 Boxing Day) tsunami, with Victorian bushfires. So they are people who are well trained and well versed," Mr Dawson said.

They will work with the AFP, as the lead investigative agency, and jointly report to the coroner.

Mr Dawson said the officers, who have been told they would be on the island for at least a month, would assist in the recovery and start interviewing witnesses.

"Because it is a large-scale number of deaths, it will be a protracted investigation just by the very nature of the tragedy that's occurred," he said. "So we'll have experienced people there who have had similar experience in terms of investigating multiple deaths."