Asylum Seekers Killed As Australian Boat Crashes
Baku, December 15 (AZERTAC). Up to 50 asylum seekers are feared dead after a boat crashed into rocks on an island off Australia`s coast, the Flying Doctors Service has said.
The vessel hit rocks on Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean where refugee applicants are housed in a detention centre.
Witnesses described seeing dead bodies - including children - floating in the churning water.
Rescue efforts are underway but officials said it is still not clear how many people have died.
Local media reports that 41 people have been rescued, but another 30 are still missing.
"A people smuggler`s boat has crashed into the rocks," Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan said.
"A number of people have been rescued but sadly, some bodies have been retrieved."
Mr. Swan said he did not know how many people were on board the boat, or where the asylum seekers were from.
Residents on the island had rushed to the boat to help after the incident and a witness said the scene was chaotic.
Weather conditions in the area have been particularly bad, which has also hampered rescue efforts.
Australia is a prime destination for people from poor, often war-ravaged countries who want to start a new life.
In recent years, many have come from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq.
Asylum seekers who illegally enter Australian waters by boat are sent to the island`s detention centre, or detention centres on the Australian mainland while their refugee claims are reviewed.
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