The bodies of nine asylum seekers have been found near Christmas Island, while another 60 are missing feared dead, after a vessel vanished last week.
During a search and rescue operation that will continue into the night, Border Protection sent a plane that found the dead bodies on Saturday afternoon.
A delay in starting the search-and-rescue mission has prompted renewed criticism of Australia's response to boats in distress.
Former Australian diplomat Tony Kevin asked why there was an almost 46-hour lag from the time the boat, with up to 60 people on board, was reported ''overdue'' on its journey from Indonesia and the mounting of a search-and-rescue operation.
A search was still under way on Saturday night for survivors from the boat, believed to have capsized on Friday. The alarm was raised with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority by Customs on Friday night - almost 12 hours after debris was reportedly spotted floating in the water from the boat, which had been reported days earlier as being ''overdue'' on its journey from Indonesia.
There was an unconfirmed report that one body had been seen in the water.
A spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said on Saturday afternoon that Border Protection Command was searching an area about 65 nautical miles north-west of Christmas Island for a possible foundered vessel. Mr Clare is travelling to Canberra for a briefing on the operation.
The navy frigate HMAS Warramunga was co-ordinating the search. Australia's Rescue Coordination Centre put out PAN-PAN (Potential Assistance Needed) calls at 10am on Friday asking for ships in the area to report sightings of a blue-hulled vessel carrying about 55 people.
The suspected sinking is the first since a boat went down near Java in Indonesia in April.
Only 14 survivors were plucked from the water from the vessel, which was carrying just more than 70 people.
The remaining passengers were never found with Indonesia conducting only a limited search.
A boat overturned in March, 14 nautical miles north of Christmas Island - killing a pregnant woman and a young boy - and two boats capsized last year killing more than 100 people. Eight asylum seeker boats have arrived in Australia this week with 639 passengers on board.
Ninety-three refugees, including a pregnant ill woman in her 20s and a six-year-old boy, were among the stranded passengers rescued.
In June last year, 90 people drowned and another 93 were rescued after their vessel capsized north of Christmas Island.
Saturday 8 June 2013
http://www.smh.com.au/national/nine-dead-after-asylum-boat-sinks-20130608-2nx36.html
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