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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Australia and Indonesia rush to save distressed 'migrant boat' | Australia and Indonesia rush to save distressed 'migrant boat' |
| (9 months later) | |
| Australian and Indonesian rescuers are trying to help a boat with up to 180 people on board that is taking on water in bad weather and rough seas off Indonesia, a day after the countries agreed to strengthen maritime ties as a way to combat people-smuggling. | Australian and Indonesian rescuers are trying to help a boat with up to 180 people on board that is taking on water in bad weather and rough seas off Indonesia, a day after the countries agreed to strengthen maritime ties as a way to combat people-smuggling. |
| The wooden boat issued a distress call early on Wednesday morning, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said. Australian navy ship HMAS Wollongong found the boat south of Indonesia, but poor weather was preventing rescuers from boarding the vessel, the authority said. | The wooden boat issued a distress call early on Wednesday morning, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said. Australian navy ship HMAS Wollongong found the boat south of Indonesia, but poor weather was preventing rescuers from boarding the vessel, the authority said. |
| The boat was still afloat by afternoon. Indonesia sent a Hercules plane and a navy ship to the location. | The boat was still afloat by afternoon. Indonesia sent a Hercules plane and a navy ship to the location. |
| "The boat has rung, said it's in distress, that it's taking on water," home affairs minister Jason Clare told Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio. "Whenever you have a call like that, you take it seriously." | "The boat has rung, said it's in distress, that it's taking on water," home affairs minister Jason Clare told Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio. "Whenever you have a call like that, you take it seriously." |
| Indonesia was unable to send its only fibreglass-hull boat because of rough seas, said Gagah Prakoso, a spokesman for its national search and rescue agency. The boat was around 50 miles (80 kilometres) south-west of Panaitan, a small island off the western end of the Java. | Indonesia was unable to send its only fibreglass-hull boat because of rough seas, said Gagah Prakoso, a spokesman for its national search and rescue agency. The boat was around 50 miles (80 kilometres) south-west of Panaitan, a small island off the western end of the Java. |
| Australia's debate over how to cope with the increasing flow of asylum seekers has intensified since two boats carrying Australia-bound migrants capsized in the last two weeks. More than 90 people are believed to have died when the boats sank in the Indian Ocean between Indonesia and the Australian territory of Christmas Island, where Australia runs an immigration detention centre. | Australia's debate over how to cope with the increasing flow of asylum seekers has intensified since two boats carrying Australia-bound migrants capsized in the last two weeks. More than 90 people are believed to have died when the boats sank in the Indian Ocean between Indonesia and the Australian territory of Christmas Island, where Australia runs an immigration detention centre. |
| Australia's prime minister, Julia Gillard, and the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, discussed how to handle the politically charged problem at a meeting in Darwin on Tuesday. | Australia's prime minister, Julia Gillard, and the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, discussed how to handle the politically charged problem at a meeting in Darwin on Tuesday. |
| Gillard said Australia would work with Indonesia's maritime search and rescue agency to help strengthen its communication abilities with vessels during sea disasters and would look into an exchange programme of search and rescue specialists. | Gillard said Australia would work with Indonesia's maritime search and rescue agency to help strengthen its communication abilities with vessels during sea disasters and would look into an exchange programme of search and rescue specialists. |
| "I welcome the strong co-operation we have with Indonesia on people-smuggling, including Indonesia's law enforcement efforts against people-smuggling syndicates," Gillard told reporters on Tuesday. | "I welcome the strong co-operation we have with Indonesia on people-smuggling, including Indonesia's law enforcement efforts against people-smuggling syndicates," Gillard told reporters on Tuesday. |
| Yudhoyono said he and Gillard had discussed the importance of the Bali Process, an Asia-Pacific body combatting people-smuggling and human-trafficking. | Yudhoyono said he and Gillard had discussed the importance of the Bali Process, an Asia-Pacific body combatting people-smuggling and human-trafficking. |
| "Indonesia is also a victim of acts of illegal people-smuggling," he said. "We hope that we can prevent as far as possible acts of people smuggling in our region." | "Indonesia is also a victim of acts of illegal people-smuggling," he said. "We hope that we can prevent as far as possible acts of people smuggling in our region." |
| Australia is a common destination for boats carrying asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka and other poor- or war-ravaged countries. Many travel first to Indonesia and then try to complete the journey to Australia aboard rickety, overcrowded fishing boats. The boats generally head for Christmas Island, which is much closer to Indonesia than the Australian mainland. | Australia is a common destination for boats carrying asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka and other poor- or war-ravaged countries. Many travel first to Indonesia and then try to complete the journey to Australia aboard rickety, overcrowded fishing boats. The boats generally head for Christmas Island, which is much closer to Indonesia than the Australian mainland. |
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