24 May 2005

French Polynesian disappearance probes fail to yield answers

5:18 pm on 24 May 2005

The spouses of three French Polynesian opposition politicians who vanished three years ago say they are unhappy about the inquiry into the mystery diappearence of the plane they were travelling in.

The three assembly members belonged to the Fetia Api Party whose new leader joined the three women at a news conference on the third anniversary of their plane vanishing in the Tuamotu archipelago without leaving a trace.

The women say none of the possible explanations so far of what happened is credible.

The pilot issued no distress signal but radioed to an island that it was within sight before all contact was lost.

The women's lawyer, James Lau, says he would like to see the report being prepared by a fresh French investigation.

Mr Lau says he is pleased that new leads are being pursued such as the reported anonymous phone threats made to one of the politicians shortly before his disappearance.

At the same time the politician's house was destroyed in a suspicious fire.