Canberra: A crowded boat carrying asylum seekers to Australia capsized on Wednesday and 125 survivors and one body were recovered from the Indian Ocean, less than a week after more than 90 people drowned on a similar journey.
An air and sea search was ongoing for as many as 20 people who could still be missing, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.
Three merchant ships that responded to the capsizing rescued 125 people, and the authority said one body was recovered. The area is midway between Christmas Island and the main Indonesian island of Java.
Prime Minister Julian Gillard told Parliament that two Australian warships and an air force aircraft that can drop life rafts on the sea joined the search by late Wednesday.
The first merchant ship reached the scene more than four hours later, she said.
The survivors' refugee applications were being assessed at Christmas Island, where Australia runs an immigration detention center.
Last week's disaster rekindled debate in Parliament on how Australia should deter asylum seekers from risking the hazardous sea journey. The government wants to send new boat arrivals to Malaysia in exchange for accepting UN-recognised refugees living there. The opposition won't support the legislation because Malaysia has not signed the Refugee Convention.
An air and sea search was ongoing for as many as 20 people who could still be missing, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.
Three merchant ships that responded to the capsizing rescued 125 people, and the authority said one body was recovered. The area is midway between Christmas Island and the main Indonesian island of Java.
Prime Minister Julian Gillard told Parliament that two Australian warships and an air force aircraft that can drop life rafts on the sea joined the search by late Wednesday.
Advertisement
The first merchant ship reached the scene more than four hours later, she said.
Advertisement
The survivors' refugee applications were being assessed at Christmas Island, where Australia runs an immigration detention center.
Advertisement
Last week's disaster rekindled debate in Parliament on how Australia should deter asylum seekers from risking the hazardous sea journey. The government wants to send new boat arrivals to Malaysia in exchange for accepting UN-recognised refugees living there. The opposition won't support the legislation because Malaysia has not signed the Refugee Convention.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
"Exceptionally Dry" Weather Delays Mass Christmas Island Crab Migration Man Rowing Across Pacific Ocean Rescued Naked, Dehydrated 14 Hours After Boat Capsized Watch: Monster Crab Snaps Golf Club In Half In Hair-Raising Video Windows Systems Restarting, Throwing Blue Screen Of Death Due To This Error Explained: What Is Causing The Dreaded 'Blue Screen Of Death' On Windows? Flights, Markets, Banks, Stock Exchange: Microsoft Outage Crippling Sectors Central Railways Jobs 2024: Applications For 2,424 Apprentice Posts Begin "Too Little Too Late": Ola CEO Slams Google For Slashing Maps' Fee Flights, Markets, Banks, Stock Exchange: Microsoft Outage Crippling Sectors Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.