INDONESIA: At least 157 suspected asylum seekers are rescued after their boat sinks off the Indonesia coast

Record ID: 860870

  • Title: INDONESIA: At least 157 suspected asylum seekers are rescued after their boat sinks off the Indonesia coast
  • Date: 24th July 2013
  • Summary: CIDAUN, CIANJUR DISTRICT, WEST JAVA PROVINCE, INDONESIA (JULY 24, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SHELTER POLICE VAN PARKED OUTSIDE SHELTER VARIOUS OF VILLAGERS LOOKING AT SURVIVORS THROUGH WINDOW SURVIVORS SITTING AND LYING ON THE GROUND VARIOUS OF MAN TALKING YOUNG GIRL AND FEMALE SURVIVORS SITTING MORE OF FEMALE SURVIVORS SURVIVORS SITTING SURVIVORS LYING ON THE GROUND MEN STANDING AROUND A COVERED BODY. MAN SITTING IN A CHAIR NEXT TO A COVERED BODY
  • Embargoed: 8th August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Indonesia
  • City:
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: Accidents,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5HRN210F6QOT91CTYA8MTAVF4
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Three people died but another 157 suspected asylum seekers were rescued on Wednesday (July 24) after their boat sank off the southern coast of Indonesia, National Search and Rescue Agency said.
    The latest case of a boat sinking while attempting the perilous journey came five days after Australia slammed the door on would-be refugees with deal to send all boat arrivals to Papua New Guinea for assessment and eventual settlement.
    The debate over refugees and people smuggling has long been a hot political issue in Australia and has intensified with an election in a few weeks.
    Indonesia emergency authorities however said later that 160 people were on board and that three had died, two women and a 12-year-old- boy from Sri Lanka nationality.
    There were also conflicting reports about the nationalities of those on board. They were described variously as coming from Iran, Iraq and Bangladesh, as well as Sri Lanka.
    The boat capsized late on Tuesday (July 23) after hitting a reef off coast of Sukapura, about 270 km (170 miles) south of capital Jakarta, an authority said.
    Since 2001, about 1,000 people have died while trying to reach Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island in unseaworthy boats. More than 15,000 asylum seekers have arrived by boat in Australian territory this year.
    On Friday (July 19), Canberra announced tough new measures to stem a sharp increase in the number of refugee boat for Australia from Indonesia.
    The new plans have been condemned by human rights groups, with Amnesty International accusing it of shirking its moral obligations to help the world's most vulnerable people.
    Shortly after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited Indonesia this month, Jakarta said it would stop giving Iranians visas on arrival, making it harder for them to use the Southeast Asian country as a route to seek refuge in Australia.
    Australia last year reopened immigration detention centres on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and on the remote South Pacific island nation of Nauru, in order to deter boat arrivals.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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