AT LEAST 27 asylum seekers, believed to be from Iraq and Iran, died yesterday after their boat smashed into rocks and sank off Christmas Island, 2,360km off the coast of Western Australia.
There were about 80 people, including women and children, on board the wooden Indonesian fishing boat when it crashed into cliffs.
Locals described a scene of horror after being woken by screams coming from the sea. Christmas Island councillor Kamar Ismail said he saw dead bodies floating in the water.
“I saw children hanging onto the side of the boat, just holding on,” he told the West Australian newspaper. “There were others hanging onto rocks and what was left of the boat. Wave after wave was coming in and it was very, very rough. The rocks were very jagged and it’s a very steep area around there.”
Local people, who rushed to the cliffs, threw life jackets and ropes into the water.
Authorities say 41 people were rescued from the water and one survivor made it to shore alone. The search for any remaining survivors, and for bodies, is continuing.
Two Australian navy ships have been sent to Christmas Island to conduct the rescue.
Stephen Langford of the Royal Flying Doctor Service said three survivors have serious injuries and will be flown to Perth for treatment.
About 30 others who have moderate injuries are being treated at the island’s hospital.
“So far we know there are three patients [with serious injuries] – two with head injuries, one with some blunt abdominal trauma,” Mr Langford said. “I understand in the rough seas crashing up against the rocks, it was like a whirlpool or washing machine, and people were injured that way.”
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is returning from leave after being briefed on the incident.
Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition said the bad weather meant “people on the island watched helplessly as the boat smashed against the rocks and people actually drowned before their eyes”.
He said the tragedy should cause the Australian government to change its policies.
“If asylum seekers were processed in Indonesia, if they were resettled out of Indonesia, then far fewer people would be getting on boats trying to get to Australia.”
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said it was inappropriate to debate immigration policy in the current circumstances, but described the deaths as “our worst nightmare”.