PM extends search for 7 more days

THE search and rescue operation for the 100-plus people missing at sea after the mv Rabaul Queen disaster will be extended for another seven days.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill assured the families of those still unaccounted for that the government wanted the search to continue, despite hopes fading of finding any alive after nine days of searching.
He visited the three care centres in Lae on Wednesday. The care centres are at the Catholic Diocese, Salvation Army and St Paul’s Primary School.
O’Neill gave K3 million to the Morobe disaster committee headed by the acting administrator Patilias Gamato.
“The money is to facilitate the extension of the search, rescue and recovery programme and the immediate rehabilitation of the victims to their homes.
“It will also be used to assist students affected to travel to their respective schools,” he said.
“The K3 million is a portion of the K8 million allocated by the government to assist victims of this tragedy. The balance of K5 million will be made available next week and will be used for the extension of the search.”
O’Neill said an independent inquiry would be conducted into the sea tragedy and had engaged retired Judge Warwick Andrews and lawyer Mars Varitimos to head the investigation.
“There will be no government officer or agency involved with this inquiry as I am aware that some of them may be implicated and charged during the process of the inquiry,” he said.