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Three feared drowned after asylum seekers' boat sinks off Indonesia | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Three people, including a young girl, have drowned and more than 160 people have been rescued by local fishermen and Indonesian authorities from a sinking boat which was carrying asylum seekers, according to reports from the region. | |
Initial reports had estimates of 60 people on the boat which was heading for Christmas Island carrying asylum seekers. | |
Australian authorities were not involved in the rescue and have been unable to provide any information apart from that they were aware of an "incident". | |
ABC's Indonesian correspondent has quoted local authorities as saying three people have drowned and about 160 people were rescued from the water on Wednesday morning. | |
It is believed the boat sank on Tuesday night, a few hours after leaving Java and a rescue operation was launched on Wednesday morning. | |
The survivors will be taken back to Indonesia. | |
Australian authorities offered their assistance in the rescue but the offer was not taken up. | |
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a hardline asylum seeker policy last week which will send all asylum seekers who arrive by boat on Australian shores to Papua New Guinea. | Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a hardline asylum seeker policy last week which will send all asylum seekers who arrive by boat on Australian shores to Papua New Guinea. |
The rescue operation comes as Customs and Border Protection confirmed they intercepted a boat carrying 38 asylum seekers on Monday. | The rescue operation comes as Customs and Border Protection confirmed they intercepted a boat carrying 38 asylum seekers on Monday. |
HMAS Bathurst intercepted the boat west of Christmas Island after it was detected by a RAAF patrol plane and the passengers have been transferred to the island to undergo health and other checks before being transferred to PNG. | HMAS Bathurst intercepted the boat west of Christmas Island after it was detected by a RAAF patrol plane and the passengers have been transferred to the island to undergo health and other checks before being transferred to PNG. |
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