Dozens Feared Dead in Asylum Boat Departing from Indonesia

Sydney (News Today) - Dozens of asylum seekers, including children, were feared dead after their boat was smashed to pieces in violent seas off Australia Wednesday, as helpless witnesses looked on in horror. Initial reports and eye witnesses said between 15 and 40 people were rescued from the water off Christmas Island out of 60-80 people on board but the figures could not immediately be confirmed.

Witness Phillip Stewart said he saw people drowning after their boat broke up against the limestone cliffs of the remote island off western Australia. “The tragedy continued for some time and we witnessed people actually drowning.... Unfortunately (they) were hit against the rocks,” he told Sky News.

“We only witnessed one person surviving while the others unfortunately didn’t.” Stewart said the atmosphere on the island was one of “complete shock and horror — I don’t think there is a dry eye on the island.” Christmas Island residents watched horrified as the tragedy unfolded in front of them, helpless to assist those dashed against the rocks and debris in the churning sea.

“What I saw was a boat filled with people and kids, when I was down there the boat was still intact,” local councillor Kamar Ismail told AFP.

“Then the waves came in and the boat crashed onto the rocks and smashed the boat and people were drifting around.” Ismail said locals had tried their best to pull survivors from the water “but we can’t do much because the sea was very, very rough”.

Video broadcast on Sky News showed a modest vessel appearing intact but then floundering in heavy seas before being smashed to pieces against rocks. “I think people are shocked at what happened, seeing a boat like that, crowded,” Ismail said.

“Once it hit the rocks it shattered into pieces. I heard people screaming for help, we just said to them ’We can’t,’ we can’t do much, we could throw them life jackets, that’s all.”

Another witness told Sky News there were “naked people, children dead in the water” and that dozens were killed after the boat capsized and was then dashed against the rocks in rough seas. The unnamed source said there were about “60 people in the water” and that “about 30 people were rescued” after a naval vessel rushed to the scene as Christmas island residents watched from the top of the cliff.

Michael Foster, another of the island’s residents, said the navy was “doing their best” to rescue survivors but the conditions were too rough for them to get close to those in the water.

“Most of the people were right next to the rocks,” Foster told Sky News.

“You could hear the women screaming, it was trying times for people trying to help them.” “I would suggest that I saw about 30 that didn’t make it,” he added.

Australian Customs and police confirmed that a suspected asylum seeker boat had been involved in an accident off Christmas Island and that a rescue was under way.

“Our paramount priority is the safety of all involved,” Customs said in a brief statement.

The nationalities of those on the wooden fishing vessel are unknown but thousands of asylum seekers from Iraq, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have made their way to Australia this year on often rickety boats which depart from Indonesia.

Source : kompas

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