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Australia - Source: ONE News -
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At least three people have been killed and many more injured
following an explosion aboard a boat carrying suspected asylum
seekers off northern Australia.
WA Police Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts said the explosion
happened about 6.30am WST on Thursday.
"It was probably very close to dawn," McRoberts told Fairfax Radio
Network.
It is believed the explosion occurred in the engine compartment of
the boat as a navy vessel was towing it to Christmas Island.
Some defence personnel received minor injuries in the explosion but
were not among the dead.
One patient is being flown to Perth for burns treatment.
The boat sank soon after the explosion and the asylum seekers were
now onboard HMAS Albany and HMAS Childers, Mr McRoberts said.
HMAS Tobruk, which is equipped with substantial medical facilities,
is also reportedly on its way to the scene.
The Royal Australian Navy would continue to search for the missing
until there were found or there was no prospect of finding
them.
McRoberts said it was too early to tell if the explosion was
deliberate or not.
"That will be the subject of the investigation during the course of
the day," he said.
Royal Perth Hospital is on standby to take burns patients.
The Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services have
activated the Emergency Operation Centre in Darwin which includes
the Royal Darwin Hospital.
Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus said the government was working to
confirm all the details surrounding the incident.
"The government's first priority is to address the immediate
situation and to ensure the safety of life at sea," Debus said in a
statement.
"This is an ongoing incident and all relevant agencies are now
working to ensure the safety and security of those on board.
"The government is in the process of confirming details of this
incident and will release further details once they have been
confirmed."
It is believed that the 49 people aboard the vessel, intercepted
off the West Australian coastline near Ashmore Reef late on
Wednesday, were from Afghanistan.
It is the third boat of suspected asylum seekers to arrive in
Australian waters in the past two weeks and the sixth this
year.
Opposition immigration spokeswoman Sharman Stone says the
government had created a "dangerous situation" that was always
going to end in tragedy.
"You can't announce a soft policy and then expect people not to
loose their lives through people smuggling efforts," Dr Stone told
Sky News.
"We (Australia) were literally inviting a new surge to occur,
that's what we've seen.
"Perhaps we are going to see more of these tragedies in the coming
weeks and months."
The federal government says its policies have not led to the spike
in illegal boat arrivals.
It argues that push-factors from countries including Afghanistan
and Iraq are to blame.
Refugee advocate Ngareta Rossell agreed with the government.
"The push factor is so intense at the moment that of course people
will be looking to get out of those countries," she told Sky
News.
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