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Christmas Island News

09 Apr 2017

Navy Maritime Tactical Unmanned Air Systems

Images of remotely piloted aircraft soaring over a naval fleet might seem like an ultramodern picture. But unmanned aircraft are nothing new to the Fleet Air Arm, which has provided remotely piloted targets for gunnery practice since 1953. This started with the jet-powered Jindivik pilotless aircraft being used as a target, then for target towing before retirement in 1998. Sea Sparrow missiles were tested by firing at Kalkara aircraft, the Jindivik’s successor. Navy now has a different generation of remotely piloted aircraft in mind with fixed and rotary-wing maritime tactical unmanned air systems undergoing evaluation. The first of these is the ScanEagle…

26 Jun 2015

Australian Bio-Robots to Explore in the Indian Ocean

CSIRO will be releasing a fleet of floating bio-robots between Christmas Island and Madagascar next week to measure biological indicators in the Indian Ocean including dissolved oxygen, nitrate, organic matter and particles. A bio-robot is a robot which can measure properties relevant to biology like organic matter. Four bio-robots, each worth up to $100,000, are being dropped into masses of spinning water. It will be the first time CSIRO has used the new BioArgo robotic floats to measure this massively under-sampled part of the world. "These can tell us about the growth of plankton, how much carbon they take up, how much gets used up the food chain and how much gets buried," CSIRO project leader Dr Nick Hardman-Mountford said.

02 Jan 2015

HMAS Launceston Assists Ill Mariner

HMAS Launceston assisted in the medical evacuation of a critically ill Chinese mariner from a Chinese fishing vessel, 80 nautical miles south-east of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean on the afternoon of 1 January, 2015.   The request for Launceston’s assistance came from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and the patrol boat embarked a civilian medical officer prior to departing.   The Chinese mariner was embarked in HMAS Launceston at sea along with an escorting crewmember. Life-sustaining medical aid was provided during the return to Flying Fish Cove in Christmas Island.   Launceston arrived at Flying Fish Cove at about 6pm local time (10pm Canberra Time) and the mariner was immediately transferred by a waiting ambulance to hospital.

18 Dec 2013

KH Radar Keeps an Eye on Christmas Island Approaches

Christmas Island: Photo credit K.Singer, Australian Govt.

Kelvin Hughes announces the permanent installation of an S-Band SharpEye™ radar and antenna on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean for maritime surveillance of the coastal region. An Australian territory, located 2,600 kilometres northwest of Perth, Christmas Island has been regularly used by immigrants and asylum seekers as a pathway to obtaining refugee status. This has placed significant pressure on the Australian government with its duty of care requirements, creating a need for a permanent radar installation on the island.

24 May 2013

Australia: Casualty Resulted from Poor Planning and Maintenance

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) issued the report of its investigation into the foundering of the cargo ship Tycoon at Christmas Island on January 8, 2012.   Heavy weather arose while the ship was in position at the inner moorings at Flying Fish Cove. Under the stress of weather, one of the port’s permanent mooring lines came free from its anchor, allowing the ship to move forward, making contact with the terminal’s rock face.   The master did not immediately notify the port of the problem or make proper use of the ship’s engines or mooring lines to keep the ship safe. The ship eventually broke up and sank. The port managers had not undertaken a risk assessment and had not implemented an effective inspection and maintenance program. http://brymar-consulting.com

23 May 2013

Sailor Injured on HMAS Warramunga

A sailor onboard Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga sustained a non-life-threatening injury in a training exercise this morning, May 23, 2013. The ship’s medical staff provided initial treatment to the sailor, and the decision was made to divert the ship to Exmouth, WA, so the sailor could be further assessed. The cause of the accident is not confirmed and the incident is under investigation. HMAS Warramunga was transiting from Perth to Christmas Island at the time of the incident, assigned to domestic maritime border security operations as part of Operation RESOLUTE. There has been no impact to the overall conduct of this operation. The sailor’s family has been notified.

15 Mar 2013

AMSA Coordinates Search and Rescue North of Ashmore Island

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) issued a media release stating that it coordinated the rescue of 77 persons from waters north of Ashmore Island after their vessel broke up. The individuals are being transported to Christmas Island. “The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has coordinated the search and rescue of 77 people following after their vessel broke up 60 nautical miles north of Ashmore Island. At approximately 3 p.m. AEDT on Wednesday, a Customs and Border Protection Dash 8 aircraft was conducting routine patrol in the area when it sighted what appeared to be a broken up vessel with a number of people in the vicinity in the water.

14 Dec 2012

TITAN Salvage Opens Fourth Facility in Cairns, Australia

TITAN's successful salvage of the Tycoon off Christmas Island, Australia

Team Springs into Immediate Action with Successful Rescue and Salvage of Two Stricken Vessels in Waters Surrounding Australia. To meet the needs of changing market conditions and increased commercial vessel traffic in and around the Great Barrier Reef, TITAN Salvage has established a new office and equipment depot in Cairns, Australia. The presence in the Pacific Southeast enhances the company’s marine salvage, wreck removal and emergency response capabilities in the region. With this new depot, also comes the region’s introduction to new subsidiary TITAN Maritime (Australia) Pty.

19 Sep 2012

Satellite Phone Helps Rescue 82 From Ocean

Inmarsat's IsatPhone Pro alerts rescue services to assist passengers of a disabled Java Sea passenger boat. Australia Maritime Safety Authority's (AMSA's) Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Australia) was contacted by Australian Federal Police after they recently received a distress call via IsatPhone Pro from a vessel requesting assistance. "RCC Australia successfully contacted the satellite telephone number and a person on board reported the vessel's engine was not working and there were 82 people on board. At this stage, the vessel's unconfirmed location was south of Java," explained AMSA's spokesperson Jo Meehan. RCC Australia sent…