Indonesian Boat with Illegal Immigrants Headed to Australia Sinks

Indonesian Boat with Illegal Immigrants Headed to Australia Sinks

Australia media reports stated that crew and captain, including illegal immigrants, grabbed life vests and swam away as the Indonesian boat sank during a heavy storm on Monday. More than 200 passengers are still missing.

According to survivors, terrified passengers on the boat that was headed for Australia were left to drown as it broke apart in stormy seas about 90 km (55 miles) off the coast of Java, Indonesia. Passengers of the wooden vessel were economic migrants from Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan searching for a better life in Australia.

Survivors suffered from dehydration and exhaustion after staying afloat in the rough seas by clinging to wreckage for five hours. Esmat Adine stated that “We were just praying to God that someone would help us. We thought it was the last of our life story. People were dying in front of us. The bodies were lying in front of us in the water, women and children mostly."

Australian navy patrol boat and a surveillance aircraft has aided in the search and rescue operation. Australian federal police based in Jakarta also assisted the Indonesian investigation. Jason Clare, Australian Home Affairs Minister told the media, "It's almost been two days since the boat capsized; the water is warm, but very rough. The chances of finding people are becoming more and more remote."

Posted by James Fried on Monday December 19 2011, 3:55 AM EDT. Ref: Yahoo. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0