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Boat carrying 200 asylum seekers capsizes off Christmas Island Boat carrying 200 asylum seekers capsizes off Christmas Island
(about 3 hours later)
A boat carrying 200 asylum seekers has capsized near Christmas Island, off Australia's north west coast.A boat carrying 200 asylum seekers has capsized near Christmas Island, off Australia's north west coast.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed that a boat got into trouble 120 nautical miles (220km) north of the island at around 1pm local time. It was spotted in distress by a Royal Australian Air Force plane which deployed four life rafts to help survivors.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed that a boat got into trouble 120 nautical miles (220km) north of the island at around 1pm local time. It was spotted in distress by a Royal Australian Air Force plane which deployed four life rafts to help survivors.
"We can confirm that there are survivors holding on to the upturned hull of the vessel and also in a one mile radius in the water around the vessel," Jonathan Wills from the country's search and rescue service told ABC radio, adding that a merchant vessel was also on the scene. An Australian navy patrol boat and three cargo ships had rescued 110 survivors by late on Thursday and were taking them to Christmas Island, according to Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman Jo Meehan.
A Royal Australian Navy patrol boat was heading towards the stricken vessel, which capsized in the Indonesian search and rescue zone. She said the patrol boat would return to the scene of the sinking to continue the search for survivors through the night.
Christmas Island has previously been the target of asylum seekers heading to Australia by boat as it is just 220 miles (350km) south of Indonesia. The island is 930 miles from the mainland and home to Australia's main offshore immigration detention centre.Christmas Island has previously been the target of asylum seekers heading to Australia by boat as it is just 220 miles (350km) south of Indonesia. The island is 930 miles from the mainland and home to Australia's main offshore immigration detention centre.
Asylum seekers mainly from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Sri Lanka pay tens of thousands of dollars to smugglers in the hope of being granted asylum in Australia.Asylum seekers mainly from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Sri Lanka pay tens of thousands of dollars to smugglers in the hope of being granted asylum in Australia.
Eighteen months ago, horrific scenes were caught on camera as a boat carrying 89 asylum seekers mainly from Iran and Iraq smashed into the jagged rocks on the island in high seas. The wooden boat was tossed back and forth in five-metre waves after its engine failed, before smashing into the shore. Fifty people died, including 15 children. Three of them were babies under a year.Eighteen months ago, horrific scenes were caught on camera as a boat carrying 89 asylum seekers mainly from Iran and Iraq smashed into the jagged rocks on the island in high seas. The wooden boat was tossed back and forth in five-metre waves after its engine failed, before smashing into the shore. Fifty people died, including 15 children. Three of them were babies under a year.
The inquiry that followed blamed smugglers and the boat's crew. The coroner praised the bravery of Christmas Island residents who were woken in the early morning by the screams of the those on the boat. They threw life jackets into the sea and tried to help survivors ashore. It was the largest loss of life in a maritime incident in Australian waters during peace-time in more than a century. The inquiry that followed blamed smugglers and the boat's crew. The coroner praised the bravery of Christmas Island residents who were woken in the early morning by the screams of those on the boat. They threw life jackets into the sea and tried to help survivors ashore. It was the largest loss of life in a maritime incident in Australian waters during peace time in more than a century.
In response to the incident, the governing Labor party drew up plans to send asylum seekers arriving by boat to Malaysia, in exchange for those from Malaysia whose cases had already been settled. It was intended as a deterrent, but as the first asylum seekers were about to be moved to Malaysia, the high court ruled that the policy was unconstitutional, as Malaysia was not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees. In response to the incident, the governing Labour party drew up plans to send asylum seekers arriving by boat to Malaysia, in exchange for those from Malaysia whose cases had already been settled. It was intended as a deterrent, but as the first asylum seekers were about to be moved to Malaysia, the high court ruled that the policy was unconstitutional, as Malaysia was not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees.
Refugee groups welcomed the decision, which meant any offshore processing in a third country could be ruled unconstitutional.Refugee groups welcomed the decision, which meant any offshore processing in a third country could be ruled unconstitutional.
Since then, the government has not had the numbers in the hung parliament to amend the law and resume offshore processing. Boats carrying refugees have arrived at Christmas Island in increasing numbers, including three in the past day or so carrying a total of at least 200 people.Since then, the government has not had the numbers in the hung parliament to amend the law and resume offshore processing. Boats carrying refugees have arrived at Christmas Island in increasing numbers, including three in the past day or so carrying a total of at least 200 people.
Despite their high political profile, asylum seekers arriving by boat represent less than 2% of Australia's annual immigration.Despite their high political profile, asylum seekers arriving by boat represent less than 2% of Australia's annual immigration.