WAST: Thursday 09/07/2009 @ 13:50
UP to 74 Afghan asylum-seekers have been found safe after fears their fishing boat had sunk in dangerous Indonesian waters, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said last night.
A search had been launched for the boat following a tip-off from Australian Federal Police.
The boat, which was reported to be foundering off Komodo island in the country's east, had been under surveillance by Australian police based in Jakarta.
Local authorities at Labuhanbajo, on Flores island, were alerted to the boat's plight late on Tuesday by a text message from Australian police.
The boat's Indonesian crew and the asylum-seekers, who included women and children, were near land but the vessel was sinking fast and none of them could swim, the message said.
The text message, a copy of which has been obtained by The Australian, said the boat was "within sight of land but sinking no lifejackets" and that "local police have been notified appro 72-74 on board including woman and children please notify your counterparts urgently". The head of Labuhanbajo port, Pariman, said an all-day search was launched before first light yesterday as a result of the tip-off but no sign of the boat was found.
Mr Smith said last night the boat had been found.
"Indonesian officials have advised Australian officials in Indonesia that the boat has been located. It hasn't sunk," he told ABC TV's Lateline program.
"All on board ... are, on our advice, are safe."
However, there was confusion over the fate of the boat late last night, with Indonesian military officials on Flores saying:"We've found nothing. We are the navy here and we've found nothing."
Australia and Indonesia have recently increased co-operation in fighting people-smuggling, amid a fresh wave of asylum-seeker vessels.
1 comment:
Thank God that they were saved from the Indonesia..Hey do u know where they are now...if so then please tell me...!
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