 The political repercussions of the disaster continue, and are concerned with knowledge of the boat's movements and what actions were taken.Prime Minister Gillard responded to initial questions of why the boat wasn't intercepted by explaining that considering the very rough seas, the response time by border protection authorities was adequate and that the extreme weather made radar less effective.The search for survivors of the shipwreck was suspended on 18 December after doctors advised that survival was by then unlikely.