Boat passenger confirmed dead
At least one person is confirmed dead and another 11 remain missing, feared drowned, after a boat sank off the West Australian coast on Sunday night.
The Home Affairs Minister, Brendan O'Connor, says 27 people have been rescued since the boat went down in the Indian Ocean, 350 nautical miles off the Cocos Islands.
It is believed the boat was carrying 39 people when it sank.
The rescued passengers remain on board two commercial vessels that were the first on the scene of the incident and continue to help in the search.
The Federal Government says it does not know the origins of the boat or its occupants, and it has not ruled out taking the survivors to Christmas Island.
It has marshalled three planes to help search for the missing passengers.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says it is an unfolding rescue operation.
"This has only unfolded in the last 24 to 36 hours. It's still underway," he said.
"There are still people who we believe are unaccounted for.
"We've got the deployment of vessels, we've got deployment of RAAF aircraft, we've had rescue rafts released from those aircraft."
Coordinated rescue
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is coordinating the rescue operation in Australia's vast search and rescue zone.
A Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) jet has been sent from Perth and a Customs Dash 8 aircraft has also joined the search.
Stephen Langford from the RFDS says time is critical.
"It's temperate waters, so it's really a matter of getting out there to see if there are any survivors still there," he said.
"Obviously in this case time is critical because one wouldn't expect the people on board the boat would have much in the way of safety equipment."
Mr O'Connor says the Government has decided to work with the boats already in the region to carry out the rescue operation.
"We'll ensure that we do everything we can, firstly to rescue any remaining passengers that are at sea and provide whatever other support is required to assist the commercial vessels," he said.
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