A boat carrying asylum seekers capsizes; two dead

A fishing boat carrying nearly 100 asylum seekers capsized off Australia’s west coast on Monday 25 March, authorities said, turning the spotlight on the sensitive issues of refugee policy and border protection ahead of a general election in September.

Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said two people had died and another 93 were rescued after the boat overturned north of Christmas Island, midway between Australia and Indonesia.

“The vessel stopped and that allowed the border protection tenders to go up to the vessel. Two officers from the border command embarked on the vessel, and at that time two waves hit the boat. Which caused the boat to roll over on its side while a number of individuals went into the water,” Clare said.

Authorities were searching the area on Monday but said they were confident that all have been accounted for.

“Border protection command believe that they have rescued all the people who were on that vessel but it is important to make sure that the search continues, just in case there is anybody else that are there,” Clare added.

The UN refugee agency said last week that Australia received more than 16,000 claims for asylum in 2012, a 37% rise on the year before.

Refugees seeking asylum in Australia often set sail from Indonesia or Sri Lanka, heading for Australia’s Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island in dangerous and overcrowded boats, with the help of people smugglers.

Since 2001, almost 1,000 people have died at sea while attempting to reach Australia on overcrowded and often un-seaworthy refugee boats.