The RPNGC Forensic Pathologist has commenced autopsy of the 13 victims of the boat mishap in the East New Britain province.

East New Britain Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Chief Superintendent – Amanda Kates, confirmed to PNG Hausbung in an interview that the Coronial Investigations commenced on Wednesday 29th July.

Prior to the commencement of the autopsy, a special meeting was convened on Tuesday by the authorities for the family members of the victims. The family members met with East New Britain Governor – Michael Marum, Provincial Administrator – Mr. Levi Mano, ENB PPC, Provincial Disaster Coordinator – Mr. Donald Tokunai, the RPNGC Coroner, Police Investigators and other senior officials of the ENB Provincial Administration.  

Chief Superintendent Kates told PNG Hausbung that the meeting was on the request of the Police Forensic Pathologist and the Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) Specialist to have the families of the victims in one room and educate them on where they were with the process of the coronial investigation and the time frame involved in the process of the coronial investigation, so that everybody gets the same information.

“We were very clear (to the families) that it is a coronial investigation, and that we are bound by the Coroner’s Act, and that all 13 bodies brought into the morgue has to undergo autopsies and identified by specific means,” said PPC Kates.

Chief Superintendent Kates has also confirmed that the coroner has completed autopsies of two bodies in the morning, with the possible of maybe three or four bodies to be completed soon. She added that they are looking at completing another three bodies by today and hopefully complete all 13 bodies by Sunday 2nd August.

The PPC further appealed to the families to be open minded and keep away from the reports and information going around, especially on social media, and allow the process to take its cause, until the coroner completes the process. Only then and there, the coroner based on the findings, can a decision be made, should there be a homicide investigation.

PPC Kates, has thanked the families of the victims for their understanding and patience, by allowing the authorities to allow the process to fully identifying their loved ones so that they are able to take their loved one’s home, and put them to proper rest.