4 more dead as refugee boat sinks off Australia

AFP/Sydney

Four asylum-seekers died after a people-smuggling ship carrying around 150 passengers capsized yesterday off Australia’s remote Christmas Island, triggering a major rescue operation.

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service said the vessel overturned as it was being escorted in heavy weather to the island by two navy ships, after issuing a distress call earlier in the day.

“HMAS Warramunga rescued 76 people from the water and HMAS Albany rescued 68 people from the water. Tragically, four deceased persons were recovered,” Customs said in a statement.

“It is believed that there were approximately 150 people on board based on an assessment of information provided by the vessel’s crew. This number has been revised downwards from an initial estimate of up to 180 people.”

A military aircraft managed to drop life rafts to those stranded in the water, many of whom were reportedly not wearing life-vests.

Customs said it had formally suspended rescue efforts at 9.38pm (1138 GMT) “based on the thorough search that had been undertaken”, with no further sign of survivors.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had been “in contact with the vessel most of the day” and rough seas had prevented sailors from boarding the ship to investigate the cause of its difficulties before it went down, 70 nautical miles from the remote Christmas Island outpost.

Hundreds of asylum-seekers have drowned on the dangerous sea voyage to Australia in recent years when their flimsy and overloaded boats sank.

More than 13,000 asylum-seekers have arrived in Australia by boat since January 1, piling pressure on the ruling Labor party in an election year.

The politically-sensitive issue is likely to dominate the campaign ahead of national elections due later this year, with the conservative opposition vowing to “stop the boats” with a policy of towing vessels back to Indonesia - a proposal which has not been welcomed by Jakarta.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd dismantled the harsh refugee policies of the former conservative government after he was elected to office in 2007, but is now being accused of having lost control of Australia’s borders, with successive years of record refugee boat arrivals.

He advocates a regional solution to the problem and is expected to unveil new policies before announcing the election date, which must be before November 30.