WA: Father of dead crew member says questions remain

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2003
WA: Father of dead crew member says questions remain

By Holly Nott

PERTH, Dec 19 AAP - The father of a sailor killed in a blaze aboard HMAS Westralia
said today he remained convinced of a naval cover-up despite a coroner's findings to the
contrary.

Lyndon Pelly's 22-year-old daughter, Midshipman Megan Pelly, was one of four crew who
died when a fire broke out in the engine room of the Westralia off the coast of Perth
on May 5, 1998.

Western Australia's Coroner Alastair Hope today cleared the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)
of any cover-up in relation to the fire.

But the coroner severely censured the RAN for ignoring expert advice, using wrong procedures
that bypassed safety checks, and not adequately monitoring work carried out by defence
firm ADI.

Mr Pelly said while he was yet to read the findings in their entirety, he believed
the inquest had left some questions unanswered.

"We are still of the opinion that there has been a massive cover-up in this to a high
level - not from the ship's level, but a higher level," Mr Pelly said.

But the shopkeeper from Dalby, Queensland, said he was grateful Mr Hope had not "pulled
any punches" in his appraisal of the navy's role in the disaster.

"The coroner seems to have a similar view of circumstances to the families," he said.

"He certainly doesn't seem to be pulling any punches but I was pleased that - as far
as I've read - he hasn't singled out any individual for responsibility for the deaths
but has blamed everyone."

Mr Pelly said his daughter was never far from his thoughts, but she was foremost on
his mind today.

"Today's been very hectic but not upsetting at all," he said.

Mr Pelly said he now looked forward to a Senate inquiry into the operation of naval
boards of inquiry.

"I have a major issue with them, I believe it is wrong," he said.

The fire, which also killed Petty Officer Shaun Smith, 29, of Perth, Leading Seaman
Bradley Meek, 25, of Sydney, and Able Seaman Phillip Carroll, 23, of Melbourne - was Australia's
worst peacetime naval disaster since the 1964 Voyager incident.

"I believe that until such time as the people that are making these decision that jeopardise
servicemen and servicewomen's lives are held responsible for those decisions, then those
decisions are not going to be changed," Mr Pelly said.

AAP hn/cjh/br

KEYWORD: WESTRALIA PELLY

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