Search for missing Christmas Island detainees

Last Updated: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:40:00 +1100

Australian Federal Police vow to find any detainees still missing from the Christmas Island detention centre following last week's riots.

The administrator of Christmas Island, Brian Lacy, says it is not yet clear if anyone is missing.

"[This is] due to the fact that there is parts of the detention centre that are open at the back where the fences have been knocked down by the detainees who walked out of there recently," he said.

Australian Federal Police Operations Commander Superintendent Chris Lines says up to 20 detainees may still be at large, but police are dealing with the issue.

"We are happy that we have the resources here and the capacity here to do whatever is necessary to make sure that the centre remains secure and that we locate those people that should be inside the centre," he said.

The federal police won't say how it will search jungle areas for any missing detainees.

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