In Brief
- At least another six flights evacuating Australians out of the Middle East, according to various ministers.
- Anthony Albanese confirms ADF personnel were on a US submarine that sank an Iranian warship.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed Australian personnel were on board a US submarine that torpedoed a warship off the coast of Sri Lanka on Thursday, killing at least 87 people.
It comes as the federal government has confirmed additional repatriation flights will bring Australians home from the Middle East, with the first flights from Abu Dhabi set to take place, if safe.
Earlier reports from Australian news outlets suggested that two Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel were on board a US submarine involved in the sinking of an Iranian vessel.
Ministers had previously been tight-lipped when questioned about the personnel, and the government had earlier declined to confirm their presence in response to SBS News inquiries.
However, speaking to Sky News on Friday morning, Albanese clarified that three Australian personnel were on board the vessel.
He explained that the group was aboard as part of AUKUS arrangements, intended to give ADF personnel experience on US submarines, and stressed that they did not participate in any offensive action against Iran.
"These are long-standing third-country arrangements that have been in place for a long period of time, and what they do is ensure that Australian Defence Force personnel, where they're embedded in third countries, defence assets, they act in accordance with Australian law, with Australian policy," he said.
Airspace closures across the region have forced widespread flight cancellations since the United States and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks, leaving major travel hubs largely shut.
The war in the Middle East has resulted in the largest consular operation the Department of Foreign Affairs has ever undertaken, as it works to support and evacuate Australians.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said more than 100,000 people remain stranded in the Gulf region and are looking to leave.
He told ABC Radio National on Friday morning that the government in such scenarios typically urges people to go to transport hubs, like Dubai, to evacuate by air.
"This time the transport hubs have also been attacked … the airlines are having to not only make sure they've got planes available but also make sure that it's safe to fly," Burke said.
Chartered flights cannot evacuate anywhere close to 100,000 people alone, he said, saying "you need to rely on the commercial airlines".
Also speaking to ABC Radio National, Resources Minister Madeleine King confirmed there were four scheduled flights from Dubai and two from Abu Dhabi in the next 24 hours, as of Friday morning.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong later clarified the four flights from Dubai are headed to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, but could be "subject to change".
"I want to just say how grateful we are to the United Arab Emirates for working with us, for getting the flights on and for providing accommodation and meals to Australians who are there," Wong told ABC Radio Adelaide.
More than 200 Australians arrived home on Wednesday evening on the first commercial flight out of Dubai since the war started.
Government's delay in confirming
Earlier in the morning, several ministers were reluctant to confirm details on Australian Defence personnel involvement with the media.
"We're certainly not directing any involvement in this conflict," Burke told ABC Radio National, while King acknowledged Australians are on US ships but would not confirm where they are for "security reasons".
"We do have personnel training through the AUKUS system, as one would expect, and we've been very open about that," she told ABC Radio National.
Health Minister Mark Butler offered additional context on the nature of Australian–US military cooperation.
"Australian Navy personnel have been rotating with US Navy submarines out of Pearl Harbour, which has been on the public record for some months now, but we won't confirm exactly where people are," he told Channel 7 on Friday morning.
During Question Time in the Senate on Thursday afternoon, Greens senator David Shoebridge also asked Wong whether any Australians had been on board. To which Wong reponded saying she couldn't comment and that the US submarine operations were "a matter for the United States".
"For operational and security reasons, we do not disclose specific information regarding Australian personnel."
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