'A doll in the water' actually a baby as navy sailor tells of distress at sea to Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide

A Royal Australian Navy sailor has given harrowing evidence of his time at sea, including seeing asylum seeker bodies in the water and desperate efforts to save sinking boats. Key points: Navy recruits were underprepared for what they would encounter while on border patrol in perilous waters, the commission hears Post-operational psychological support was also ineffective, leaving defence personnel to "fall through the cracks" The Brisbane hearings conclude tomorrow and the commission's final report is due in 2023 The sailor, who appeared on the condition of anonymity, was giving evidence on day nine of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. "I was a pretty ignorant 21-year-old kid thinking that these people didn't deserve to come here because why are they jumping the queue while people do things properly," witness BR2 said. "It can become quite a dangerous situation if we don't hook up quickly enough … so I was having to give this lady first aid while trying to hook up the crane," witness BR2 said. "To know that these were going to refugee camps as a political power move sort of felt like a kick in the guts too, because these people were so genuine," witness BR2 said.