Repairs to border boat to cost $3 million

Repairs to a border patrol boat which smashed into the Great Barrier Reef will cost about $3 million.

A border patrol boat seriously damaged after striking a coral reef will cost $3 million to repair.

The Bay-class vessel ran aground after smashing into the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of far north Queensland, in September 2017.

The reef and transport safety watchdogs are investigating the crash but the exact cause remains unknown.

"We're still waiting to hear from the investigation and their findings," Australian Border Force boss Michael Outram told a Senate committee in Canberra on Monday.

Mr Outram does not expect any action to be taken against the Roebuck Bay's crew, who all underwent mandatory alcohol testing after the crash.

"I've got no information to suggest there was any wrongdoing, deliberate or otherwise," he said.

"There's nothing at the moment that I've been presented that suggests it's anything other than an accident."

Repairs on the vessel are expected to cost $3 million, it was revealed.

"There was substantial damage to the vessel," ABF deputy commissioner Mandy Newton said.

"A large part of the hull was actually sort of torn out, a number of metres of the hull area, that had also caused additional damage to the operating systems."

Significant upgrades to the vessel's navigation and surveillance systems were completed just months before the crash.

The vessel is due back in service in September, with other border and Navy boats picking up the slack in the meantime.


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Source: AAP



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