Rescuers managed to save 110 people and 17 bodies were recovered, but no other
survivors have been found.
“There are two merchant vessels on the scene, they are recovering survivors,”
the AMSA spokeswoman said of Wednesday’s disaster.
“We expect the HMAS Maitland to arrive on the scene in approx two hours and
another defence vessel to arrive later in the afternoon.”
The capsize is the latest in a series of refugee boat disasters in recent
years, as rickety, overloaded vessels packed with desperate migrants
struggle to reach Australia.
Most boats originate in Indonesia, though there has been a spike in attempts
from Sri Lanka.
Though they come in relatively small numbers by global standards,
asylum-seekers are a sensitive political issue in Australia, dominating 2010
elections due to a record 6,555 arrivals that year.
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