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Explosion on asylum seekers' boat Explosion on asylum seekers' boat
(about 5 hours later)
Three people have been killed by an explosion on a boat carrying asylum seekers, Australian police have said. Three people have been killed and dozens injured after an explosion on a boat carrying asylum seekers that had been intercepted by Australia's navy.
The boat was carrying 49 Afghan asylum seekers, and was on its way to a detention centre. The boat was carrying 49 refugees from Afghanistan, and was being towed to a detention centre on Christmas Island.
Two people from the boat are missing and staff at a Darwin hospital said several more were injured. The premier of Western Australia told reporters that the refugees spread petrol on the boat, which then ignited.
The vessel, the sixth to approach Australia since January, was being escorted by the navy to the detention centre on Christmas Island. The federal government has refused to confirm details of the incident, saying an investigation was under way.
"The vessel was being escorted to Christmas Island so that safety and health checks could be done," Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus said in a statement. Officials said two people were missing, and that the injured were being treated at hospitals in Darwin and Broome.
"Border protection agencies have reported that there has been an explosion or serious fire on board this vessel. Among those hurt were four members of the Australian defence force, who had boarded the vessel.
"There are reports from personnel on the scene that this incident has resulted in fatalities, serious injuries and that a number of occupants of the vessel are missing," he said. 'Surge'
Surge? This is the sixth boat carrying asylum seekers to arrive in Australian waters this year.
Six boats carrying more than 250 illegal entrants have been intercepted off or landed on Australia's coast since January. Asylum seekers were held on Nauru under the "Pacific Solution"
The opposition says this "surge" is the fault of what it calls a softening of the country's immigration policy since Kevin Rudd became prime minister in late 2007. Their numbers have totalled more than 250 - up from 179 refugees intercepted in all of 2008.
The number of asylum seekers intercepted in all of 2008 was 179. The opposition has blamed this "surge" on a softening of the country's immigration policy since Kevin Rudd became prime minister in late 2007.
The Rudd government scrapped the widely criticised policy of his predecessor John Howard under which asylum seekers and their children were detained for years in special centres in Nauru or Papua New Guinea under the so-called "Pacific Solution".The Rudd government scrapped the widely criticised policy of his predecessor John Howard under which asylum seekers and their children were detained for years in special centres in Nauru or Papua New Guinea under the so-called "Pacific Solution".
Asylum-seekers now arriving by boat are held on Christmas Island, but their claims must be expedited, with six-monthly case reviews by an ombudsman now government policy.Asylum-seekers now arriving by boat are held on Christmas Island, but their claims must be expedited, with six-monthly case reviews by an ombudsman now government policy.
The BBC's Sydney correspondent Nick Bryant says the Australian government is worried about the rise of people-smuggling from or through the waters of Indonesia.The BBC's Sydney correspondent Nick Bryant says the Australian government is worried about the rise of people-smuggling from or through the waters of Indonesia.
Earlier this week Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told a people-smuggling conference in Bali that the tide of boat people might increase because of the fighting in Sri Lanka and Afghanistan and the global economic downturn.Earlier this week Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told a people-smuggling conference in Bali that the tide of boat people might increase because of the fighting in Sri Lanka and Afghanistan and the global economic downturn.
The Indonesian government has promised to push through new laws enabling the criminal prosecution of people smugglers. But these have not yet been enacted. The Indonesian government has promised to push through new laws enabling the criminal prosecution of people smugglers, but these have not yet been enacted.