Over 200 feared drowned near Australia

Over 200 feared drowned near Australia
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

SYDNEY, APRIL 12: About 220 people are feared drowned in a boat which disappeared on its way to Australia from Indonesia last month, Immigration Minister Philip Ruddoch said on Wednesday.

Ruddock told reporters in Canberra that the boat, which was involved in people smuggling, had gone missing on its way from Java to the Australian territory of Christmas island. Boat people already in detention in Australia knew of the disappearance of the vessel, he said.

"Suggestions are that a boat with something of the order of 170 to 220 people may have foundered en route to Australia," he told ABC radio. "Amongst many of the people in the detention centres there have been calls made to overseas destinations to assure family members they had in fact arrived safely given the reports that so many people had lost their lives in this incident." Australian officials said the boat was reported to have sailed from Java late last month but had been hit by rough weather.