Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: members would be aware that an aircraft chartered by the Australian company Sundance Resources went missing two days ago on a flight between Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo. The missing aircraft has now been located. As members would be aware, the search team that went to the crash site has confirmed that no-one on board has survived. On behalf of the government, I express our sincere condolences to the families of the passengers and to the staff of the companies that have lost colleagues and friends in this tragic crash. The aircraft was carrying two crew members and nine passengers. Of those nine passengers, six were Australian mining executives and one was an Australian permanent resident. Our thoughts and our prayers are with all these Australian families and other families at this tragic time.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also rise on indulgence. I rise to support the statement of the Prime Minister. It is a dreadful disaster not only for the families, of course, but for everyone who knew the people on board that ill-fated aircraft. Many of them were very well known, including to people in this House. I assure their loved ones, their families and their friends that all of us in this House feel for them in this terrible time.