Inquest into the death of Unidentified body

CITATION: Inquest into the death of [year] NTMC …….no.

TITLE OF COURT: Coroner’s Court JURISDICTION: Darwin FILE NO(s): 27/03 DELIVERED ON: 20 May 2003 DELIVERED AT: Darwin HEARING DATE(s): 20 May 2003 FINDING OF: David Loadman

CATCHWORDS: Unidentified

REPRESENTATION: Counsel: Assisting: Lyn McDade Solicitors: Judgment category classification: Judgement ID number: Number of paragraphs: Number of pages:

IN THE CORONERS COURT AT DARWIN IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA No. 27/03 In the matter of an Inquest into the death of

UNIDENTIFIED BODY ON 20 MAY 2003 AT DARWIN FINDINGS (Delivered 20 May2003) Mr DAVID LOADMAN:

1. At 1305hrs on 6 March 2003 the crew of fishing vessel SAN PASQUALE11 reported the discovery of a body in a partially submerged canoe in the Timor Sea, about 200 nautical miles NNW from Darwin. Photographs were taken of the body but the crew did not recover it.

2. The crew attempted to keep contact with the canoe and body, however prevailing weather conditions caused the crew to lose sight of the canoe and body.

3. Subsequent attempts by Coastwatch and Northern Territory Police to locate the body and canoe were unsuccessful.

4. Section 12(1) of the Coroners Act (‘The Act”) defines a reportable death to include the death of a person whose identity is unknown. Section 15 (1) of the Act mandates that an inquest be held if the identity of the deceased is not known.

5. An inquest was held on 20 May 2003 and I received evidence relating to the finding and location of the body and attempts made to recover the body.

(Exhibit C1 refers.)

6. Section 34 of the Act details the matters that an investigating Coroner is required to find during the course of an Inquest into death. That section provides “(1) A Coroner investigating – “(1) A coroner investigating –

(a) death shall, if possible, find –

(i) the identity of the deceased person; (ii) the time and place of death; (iii) the cause of death (iv) the particulars needed to register the death under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act;

(v) any relevant circumstances concerning the death.”

CORONER’S FORMAL FINDINGS Pursuant to section 34 of the Act I find as a result of the evidence adduced at the Public Inquest the following:

(a) The identity of the deceased is unknown.

(b) The time and place of his death is unknown.

(c) The cause of his death is unknown.

(d) I am unable to ascertain particulars to register his death save that he is a male person.

(e) I am unable to find the relevant circumstances surrounding his death.

Dated this 20th day of May 2003.

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DAVID LOADMAN