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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/01/lifeboat-australia-return-asylum-seekers-found-java
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Lifeboat reportedly used by Australia to return asylum seekers found in Java | Lifeboat reportedly used by Australia to return asylum seekers found in Java |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The sophisticated orange vessel was discovered by Indonesian authorities on the west coast of Java and was believed to be carrying about 60 asylum seekers, according to a report from News Limited. | |
The report said the asylum seekers dispersed into the Indonesian jungle when the vessel came ashore. | |
The "unsinkable" boat is reportedly one of 11 purchased by the federal government in a bid to stop asylum seekers from reaching Australia. | |
Prime minister Tony Abbott has described pictures of a lifeboat aground in Indonesia as "rather arresting" but wouldn't say if the vessel was used by Australian authorities to send back asylum seekers. | |
When asked about | |
the report, Abbott said the government's border protection policies | |
were helping stop the flow of asylum seeker boats. | |
He made reference to a prospective asylum seeker quoted in the report as saying the passage to Australia was now closed. | |
"Well, | |
thank you sir, the way is closed ... and as far as this government is | |
concerned never, ever will it be reopened," he told reporters in Brisbane | |
on Saturday. | |
The fully enclosed vessel discovered by Indonesian authorities was one of 11 bought by the Abbott government in a bid to stop asylum seekers from reaching Australia, the report said. | |
The boats can carry up to 90 passengers and are air-conditioned, fitted with safety and navigational equipment and stocked with food and water. | |
Morrison has previously refused to confirm reports the government was planning to buy hard-hulled lifeboats to combat the practice of asylum seekers sabotaging old fishing boats at sea. | |
But in mid-January, Operation Sovereign Borders commander Angus Campbell did confirm the purchase of the lifeboats, while declining to say how they would be used. | But in mid-January, Operation Sovereign Borders commander Angus Campbell did confirm the purchase of the lifeboats, while declining to say how they would be used. |
The development alarmed Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, who expressed concern that Australia could be going further than turning boats back by potentially facilitating the movement of asylum seekers. | The development alarmed Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, who expressed concern that Australia could be going further than turning boats back by potentially facilitating the movement of asylum seekers. |