Rescue bid as asylum boat capsizes

At least two asylum seekers have died after a boat capsized north of Christmas Island. (File picture) Source: The Daily Telegraph

A FRANTIC rescue bid is underway north of Christmas Island where an asylum seeker boat carrying 95 people has capsized.

Department of Immigration officials have confirmed at least two people have drowned in the capsizing and two were critically injured.

The search of waters north of Christmas Island is continuing, Homes Affairs Minister Jason Clare said.

He said 95 people had been plucked from the water, including the two who drowned and the two critically injured people.

"HMAS Maitland and air assets remain in the area to continue the search effort," he said.

The rescued asylum seekers arrived at Christmas Island just before 2pm and will undergo health, security and identity checks, Mr Clare said.

The boat capsized around 11.30am, 15 nautical miles north of Christmas Island.

Christmas Island administrator Jon Stanhope told the ABC the Ocean Protector Customs vessel was very close to the capsized boat.

"There were approximately 90 people on board, the majority of those have been taken on board the Ocean Protector.

"The Ocean Protector has arrived in Flying Fish Cove and the disembarkation of the injured and the asylum seekers on board is about to commence."

The capsize comes after another vessel carrying almost 130 people was intercepted earlier today.

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Child dies as asylum boat hit by waves

Rescued passengers receive medical care after a suspected asylum seeker boat carrying 95 people capsized off Christmas Island killing two. (AAP Image/Sharon Tisdale) Source: AAP

TWO people including a child have drowned after an asylum seeker boat carrying 95 people capsized north of Christmas Island.

Department of Immigration officials have confirmed at least two people have drowned in the capsizing and two were critically injured.

Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said today that a young male of 4-5 years of age, and a female in her 30s were found to have drowned. A young male of 6-7 years of age and a pregnant woman in her 20s are in a critical condition.

A total of 17 juveniles were on board, but the nationalities of the passengers are still unclear. It is understood they are Afghans and also from Iran.

He said that two of our Customs officials have been on the vessel attempting to rescue the 95 asylum seekers, when two large waves struck the vessel, causing it to roll.

The Customs officials are not injured.

Counselling services have been organised from WA  and will be sent to Christmas Island.

The vessel was an Indonesian fishing boat and its stability was decreased after it was hit by the two waves, which caused it to take on water.

"HMAS Maitland and air assets remain in the area to continue the search effort," he said.

The rescued asylum seekers arrived at Christmas Island just before 2pm and will undergo health, security and identity checks, Mr Clare said.

The boat capsized around 11.30am, 15 nautical miles north of Christmas Island.

Christmas Island administrator Jon Stanhope told the ABC the Ocean Protector Customs vessel was very close to the capsized boat.

"There were approximately 90 people on board, the majority of those have been taken on board the Ocean Protector.

"The Ocean Protector has arrived in Flying Fish Cove and the disembarkation of the injured and the asylum seekers on board is about to commence."

The capsize comes after another vessel carrying almost 130 people was intercepted earlier today.

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Rescue bid after asylum boat capsizes

At least two asylum seekers have died after a boat capsized north of Christmas Island. (File picture) Source: The Daily Telegraph

TWO people including a child have drowned after an asylum seeker boat carrying 95 people capsized north of Christmas Island.

Department of Immigration officials have confirmed at least two people have drowned in the capsizing and two were critically injured.

Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said today that a young male of 4-5 years of age, and a female in her 30s were found to have drowned. A young male of 6-7 years of age and a pregnant woman in her 20s are in a critical condition.

A total of 17 juveniles were on board, but the nationalities of the passengers are still unclear. It is understood they are Afghans and also from Iran.

He said that two of our Customs officials have been on the vessel attempting to rescue the 95 asylum seekers, when two large waves struck the vessel, causing it to roll.

The Customs officials are not injured.

Counselling services have been organised from WA  and will be sent to Christmas Island.

The vessel was an Indonesian fishing boat and its stability was decreased after it was hit by the two waves, which caused it to take on water.

"HMAS Maitland and air assets remain in the area to continue the search effort," he said.

The rescued asylum seekers arrived at Christmas Island just before 2pm and will undergo health, security and identity checks, Mr Clare said.

The boat capsized around 11.30am, 15 nautical miles north of Christmas Island.

Christmas Island administrator Jon Stanhope told the ABC the Ocean Protector Customs vessel was very close to the capsized boat.

"There were approximately 90 people on board, the majority of those have been taken on board the Ocean Protector.

"The Ocean Protector has arrived in Flying Fish Cove and the disembarkation of the injured and the asylum seekers on board is about to commence."

The capsize comes after another vessel carrying almost 130 people was intercepted earlier today.

View the original article here

Rescue bid after asylum boat capsizes

At least two asylum seekers have died after a boat capsized north of Christmas Island. (File picture) Source: The Daily Telegraph

TWO people including a child have drowned after an asylum seeker boat carrying 95 people capsized north of Christmas Island.

Department of Immigration officials have confirmed at least two people have drowned in the capsizing and two were critically injured.

Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said today that a young male of 4-5 years of age, and a female in her 30s were found to have drowned. A young male of 6-7 years of age and a pregnant woman in her 20s are in a critical condition.

A total of 17 juveniles were on board, but the nationalities of the passengers are still unclear. It is understood they are Afghans and also from Iran.

He said that two of our Customs officials have been on the vessel attempting to rescue the 95 asylum seekers, when two large waves struck the vessel, causing it to roll.

The Customs officials are not injured.

Counselling services have been organised from WA  and will be sent to Christmas Island.

The vessel was an Indonesian fishing boat and its stability was decreased after it was hit by the two waves, which caused it to take on water.

"HMAS Maitland and air assets remain in the area to continue the search effort," he said.

The rescued asylum seekers arrived at Christmas Island just before 2pm and will undergo health, security and identity checks, Mr Clare said.

The boat capsized around 11.30am, 15 nautical miles north of Christmas Island.

Christmas Island administrator Jon Stanhope told the ABC the Ocean Protector Customs vessel was very close to the capsized boat.

"There were approximately 90 people on board, the majority of those have been taken on board the Ocean Protector.

"The Ocean Protector has arrived in Flying Fish Cove and the disembarkation of the injured and the asylum seekers on board is about to commence."

The capsize comes after another vessel carrying almost 130 people was intercepted earlier today.

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Asylum seekers transferred from Manus

THE Department of Immigration has confirmed 19 asylum seekers have been transferred from Papua New Guinea's Manus Island to Australia for medical reasons.

A spokesman for the department said the asylum seekers were transferred to the Inverbrackie detention facility in South Australia on Thursday.

"I can confirm that there was a transfer of 19 people from Manus Island to Inverbrackie," he said.

"The transfer was for medical reasons - most through family groups, although there is one young girl requiring specialist medical treatment."

The spokesman would not confirm how many required treatment, or what they were being treated for, but said their conditions were not infectious.

All had previously arrived in Australian waters by boat and had since been transferred to Manus Island, as part of the federal government's offshore processing regime.

Australian Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the transfer proved the Manus Island processing centre was a "horror show" and needed to be shut down.

"It is not saving lives, it is not stopping boats, in fact it is harming people including refugee children," she told reporters in Canberra.

"It is making them suffer more and it's time to shut it down."

Senator Hanson-Young said one family had been split as part of the medical transfer.

"Is this a new government policy to be splitting families?" she asked.

The Refugee Action Coalition said all those transferred were from a family compound on Manus Island, and included at least six pregnant women and a sick eight-year-old Iraqi girl accompanied by her mother.

"It says everything about the quality of medical care in Manus Island that the women about to have children have had to be brought to the Australian mainland," spokesman Ian Rintoul said in a statement.

"If the family compound cannot look after families then it should be closed."

Federal Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison was due to hold a press conference on the issue in Sydney.

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Asylum seeker debate gets personal

Prime Minister Julia Gillard was 'dodgy', Opposition Leader Tony Abbott 'not a decent man', Parliament was told. Source: Herald Sun

TENSIONS over two immigration policies exploded today with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott taking personal swipes at each other.

The Prime Minister said Mr Abbott had allowed a shadow minister to "stoke fears day after day" on asylum seekers, while Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard supported people who came here on welfare and opposed those who came to "contribute from day one".

The exchange, in separate interviews, made clear immigration would be a central election issue - although both sides struggled to defend their positions and both faced accusations they were taking positions for electoral advantage.

Ms Gillard again declined to detail instances of rorting of the 457 visas system which allows employers to bring in skilled foreign workers for short-term jobs when no local workers were available.

The Prime Minister wants a reduction in the 457 intake because she says it is taking away the jobs of Australians. She insisted "people have raised examples'" but refused calls from industry for her to identify abuses of the system.

Innes Willox, CEO of the Australian Industry Group, today said "there has been a lot of talk of abuse of the visa system" but it would be wrong to suggest the increased popularity of the visas meant employers were taking a soft option.

"Businesses have to pay a big premium for skilled workers from overseas and will always put local workers first when looking to fill skilled positions," Mr Willox told news.com.au.

"But they still can't get the skills they need in the right places.

"The increase in 457 visas is coming off a low base and clearly the numbers being approved show that there is a genuine need in the economy for more skilled workers."

Meanwhile, Mr Abbott declined to directly support a proposal from his immigration spokesman Scott Morrison for neighbourhoods to be notified when asylum seekers move in.

Mr Morrison’s measures, which would include "behavior protocols", have not been put to shadow cabinet and senior Liberals are having trouble justifying them with signs they will be opposed by some frontbench MPs.

The Prime Minister attacked the proposals and Mr Abbott.

"This is the man who in the run-up to the 2010 campaign and every day since has been out in the community, supported by his team, trying to raise fear, the man who's used expressions like 'peaceful invasion', the man who's let his shadow minister for immigration stoke fears day after day," she said.

"That's the the cynical approach that the Leader of the Opposition has taken to these issues."

In reply Mr Abbott defended the 457 visa system.

"The Government is tolerating people coming to this country and going on welfare and demonising people coming to this country and making a contribution from day one. That is the difference," he said.

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Asylum seeker charged over assault

POLICE charged a Sri Lankan asylum seeker yesterday over the alleged indecent assault of a university student, as it emerged the federal government has given the Red Cross $265 million for asylum seekers.

The 21-year-old was on a bridging visa, immigration officials confirmed after he was arrested near Central Station at 10.15am. He was later charged with aggravated break and enter and aggravated indecent assault.

It was revealed yesterday that police were not called by Macquarie University after a 20-year-old student was allegedly attacked in campus accommodation last Thursday.

There were 55 asylum seekers living in the student accommodation at the time of the attack. Asylum seekers have also been placed at the University of Western Sydney by the Red Cross, but those at Macquarie will leave by the end of next month, it was announced yesterday.

The charged man was believed to be visiting other asylum seekers at the campus but did not live there.

A security guard arrived at the housing block within minutes of the 3.20am incident but failed to call police, with the company which manages the accommodation declining to answer questions about the specific time police were called.

A university spokeswoman said "security protocol was not followed in the initial reporting of this incident to police."

Macquarie University claimed police were called by accommodation provider Campus Living at 7.40am, however police records show the call was not made until 9.56am.

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80 asylum seekers living in uni

RADIO announcer Ray Hadley has called on the Federal Government for a detailed report and explanation after he revealed 80 asylum seekers have been living inside the grounds of a Sydney university.

On his radio show this morning, Hadley said approximately 80 Sri Lankan men were living at student accommodation inside Macquarie University.

"In the grounds of the university there are two dorm buildings housing young women - those dorms are surrounded by the dormitories containing the 80 Sri Lankan men,'' Hadley said.

"According to people I've spoken to at the university, the young women feel both intimdated and frightened by having the men in close proximity. Some are in fact scared and conveyed that to police officers on the scene yesterday.''

NSW Police today confirmed officers were investigating reports a man indecently assaulted a female university student while she was sleeping in her dormitory.

Detectives have been told a 20-year-old woman was asleep in her dormitory when a man broke into her room and indecently assaulted her about 3.20am yesterday.

The woman awoke during the incident and the man fled the scene.

The man is described as 20-25 years old, thin build, dark skinned, with dark short curly hair. He was wearing no t-shirt and a pair of grey coloured tracksuit pants.

Hadley has called on the Immigration Department to provide a report into why the university was doubling as "some sort of a Quasi detention centre".

POLICE have confirmed officers are investigating reports a man indecently assaulted a female university student while she was sleeping in her dormitory.

Detectives have been told a 20-year-old woman was asleep in her dormitory when a man broke into her room and indecently assaulted her about 3.20am yesterday.

The woman awoke during the incident and the man fled the scene.

The man is described as 20-25 years old, thin build, dark skinned, with dark short curly hair. He was wearing no t-shirt and a pair of grey coloured tracksuit pants.

It is believed he is one of approximately 80 Sri Lankan refugees who are being housed on the university grounds.

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9yo asylum seeker overdosed

Asylum seekers are suffering in our detention centres. Picture: Renee Nowytarger Source: The Courier-Mail

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy who overdosed on medication is among 26 cases of self-harming by children at asylum seeker detention centres in Darwin in a 16-month period, immigration department records have revealed.

The documents, which were obtained under Freedom of Information laws, tell of a 10-year-old boy who cut his arm with glass and a 17-year-old who tried to hang himself.

The nine-year-old boy who took an overdose of painkillers later told staff that he was "going crazy in detention".

The incident report details 26 cases of children harming themselves between August 2010 and November 2011 in the Darwin Airport Lodge and the Botanic Apartments.

Fernanda Dahlstrom, from the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network, who made the FOI request, said the cases showed children in detention were experiencing significant trauma.

"These documents concern one detention centre over a relatively short period of time," she said in a statement today.

"Children detained in other detention centres are likely to have gone through the same trauma as these children."

A spokesman for the immigration department said self-harm rates at immigration facilities decreased significantly in 2012 compared to 2011.

This was largely down to better mental health training for staff and the introduction of bridging visas and community detention options for would-be refugees.

"Sadly these things do happen from time to time," the spokesman told AAP.

"We do what we can to manage as best as possible by providing appropriate psychological support where it's needed."

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25)

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23 asylum seekers arrested

Sri Lankan asylum seekers like these, have been caught trying to get to Christmas Island. PIC: Hardinmansyah/AP Source: AP

INDONESIAN police have arrested 23 Sri Lankans asylum seekers who were stranded after their boat hit a reef as they tried to reach Australia's Christmas Island.

Based on a tip-off from local fishermen, police arrested the 17 men and six women, as well as three children, off an island in Jakarta's Thousand Islands chain on Monday morning, said senior police officer Bungin Misalayuk.

"They are all Sri Lankan nationals who planned to sail to Christmas Island. Their boat was stranded at Tidung Island," he said today, adding that the wooden boat's captain and crew had fled when police arrived at the site.

"They are all in good condition and being held at an immigration detention centre."

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9yo asylum seeker overdosed in detention

Asylum seekers are suffering in our detention centres. Picture: Renee Nowytarger Source: The Courier-Mail

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy who overdosed on medication is among 26 cases of self-harming by children at asylum seeker detention centres in Darwin in a 16-month period, immigration department records have revealed.

The documents, which were obtained under Freedom of Information laws, tell of a 10-year-old boy who cut his arm with glass and a 17-year-old who tried to hang himself.

The nine-year-old boy who took an overdose of painkillers later told staff that he was "going crazy in detention".

The incident report details 26 cases of children harming themselves between August 2010 and November 2011 in the Darwin Airport Lodge and the Botanic Apartments.

Fernanda Dahlstrom, from the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network, who made the FOI request, said the cases showed children in detention were experiencing significant trauma.

"These documents concern one detention centre over a relatively short period of time," she said in a statement today.

"Children detained in other detention centres are likely to have gone through the same trauma as these children."

A spokesman for the immigration department said self-harm rates at immigration facilities decreased significantly in 2012 compared to 2011.

This was largely down to better mental health training for staff and the introduction of bridging visas and community detention options for would-be refugees.

"Sadly these things do happen from time to time," the spokesman told AAP.

"We do what we can to manage as best as possible by providing appropriate psychological support where it's needed."

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25)

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Rescued asylum seekers near death

Burmese nationals rescued off Sri Lanka's eastern coast lie on the floor at a hospital in Galle, Sri Lanka. Picture: Sri Lankan Navy/AP Source: AP

SHOCKING pictures have emerged of a group of asylum seekers rescued after their boat sank after two months at sea as they desperately tried to reach Australia.

Just 32 Burmese nationals, out of a group of 130, survived the journey and were rescued by the Sri Lankan navy about 250 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's eastern coast on Saturday

The group comprising 31 adult males and a boy had been at sea without food for 21 days when the navy rescued them after being informed by a local fishing boat.

Some of the men had to be stretchered off the rescue ship while others were assisted off by navy officers.

Sri Lankan sailors assist Burmese nationals off a navy ship at the southern port of Galle, following their rescue at sea a day earlier. Picture: Sri Lankan Navy/AFP

The survivors were taken to the southern port of Galle where they were treated for dehydration and starvation with many placed on drips at a local hospital.

Survivors have told local newspapers that there were 130 passengers at the beginning of the journey, and 98 died on the way with their bodies dumped to sea.

They said they were planning to go to Australia after their attempt to enter Malaysia failed.

A Burmese national is stretchered off a navy ship at the southern port of Galle after being rescued from a sinking boat during an attempt to reach Australia. Picture: Sri Lankan Navy/AFP

A spokesman for Burma's embassy in Colombo said they were waiting to speak with the boat people before deciding on a course of action.

Burmese asylum seekers were treated for acute dehydration and starvation after they spent two months at sea trying to reach Australia. Picture: Sri Lankan Navy/AFP

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