Cooks Govt told of Orions, says P.M.

Press, 25 February 1986, Page 6

Cooks Govt told of Orions, says P.M.

PA Wellington The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said yesterday the Cook Islands Government had been informed about the presence of two R.N.Z.A.F. Orlons in Rarotonga during the last few days. ■

He was commenting on a report that the Cook Islands Prime Minister, Sir Thomas Davis, had no knowledge of the .reason for the planes’ presence. Sir Thomas was reported

as saying a lack of information characterised the Lange Government’s approach to the islands. Mr Lange said the two planes had been sent at the explicit request of the Cook Islands authorities to investigate reported sightings of a submarine near Rarotonga. A Cl3O Hercules had also been sent to provide supply back-up, Mr Lange /i said. The episode came after a sighting of a submarine i

near Rarotonga by passengers on an inter-island aircraft. “The report was not taken seriously and was not checked out by the Cook Islands authorities,” Mr Lange said. A claim by two fishermen on February 20 that they saw and positively identified a submarine three miles out from Nga’tangiia (on Rarotonga) caused the Cook Island authorities to review the situation.