Two undersea telecommunications cables off the coast of Perth experience near-simultaneous faults over the weekend, disrupting part of international communications. The company that operates the cables says the incident is “concerning” and is seeking urgent information about what caused the damage.
ABC Australia reports that federal police are being urged to investigate the fault. Business News and Latest Headlines says authorities are assessing whether the disruption could involve criminal activity, noting that the cables’ damage occurred inside a national protection zone. The reporting indicates that officials are treating the case as potentially more than an equipment failure and are looking into the circumstances surrounding the physical disruptions.
While both outlets agree the cables are critical and located off Western Australia, they differ in emphasis. ABC Australia focuses on concern about the fault and the operator’s push for a police response, whereas Business News highlights the role of the AFP and the consideration of possible wrongdoing within a protected area.
