Australia-Bound Refugee Boat Sinks, 21 Dead

A refugee boat on its way to Australia sank off the coast of Indonesia on Friday, killing at least 21 people. The incident could be a sign that Australia’s new immigration laws may not be enough to deter asylum seekers.

The sinking is the latest disaster to strike refugees attempting to cross from Indonesia to Australia. Reuters reports that about 400 boats carrying asylum seekers have made it to Australia in the past 12 months.

About 45,000 asylum seekers have arrived in the country since late 2007, when the former Labor government relaxed the border policies. However, the government changed the policies again this year, saying all refugees will be sent to Papua New Guinea.

However, the new law doesn’t appear to deter refugees. The boat went down near the south coast of Java near the town of Tegalbulued. Dedy Kusuma Bakti, police chief in Cianjur, West Java, stated that 28 survivors were rescued from the waters. Some media reports said as many as 79 people may have drowned.

The BBC notes that officials are continuing the search for survivors. However, it wasn’t known how many people were on board the boat at the time of the accident. The search was called off at nightfall, but was expected to continue on Saturday.

Australia’s Christmas Island, located not far from Indonesia, is a common destination for asylum seekers. Reports say that the boat was carrying people from Lebanon, Jordan, and Yemen.

While thousands of asylum seekers have successfully crossed from Indonesia to Australia, hundreds have died trying to reach the shores of what they call freedom. Many head for Christmas Island, though some head for mainland Australia. Australia’s new prime minister, Tony Abbott, has told the military to turn back any migrant boats they spot and to prevent them from embarking whenever possible.

Indonesia countered that the plan risks violating its sovereignty. Despite the counter measures, Friday’s migrant boat sinking may not be the last.