Asylum seekers are still risking and losing their lives. It is particularly tragic when young children perish.
About 20 people, mostly children under 15 years old, died when an asylum seeker vessel sank off the southern coast of Java on its way to Australia.
Adjunct Commissioner Warsono from the Agrabinta Police has confirmed that 25 people were rescued before the search was called off at nightfall.
He could not say how many more may still be missing, but some reports suggest it might be up to 80 people.
Commissioner Warsono said the small wooden fishing vessel was full of people from Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and an African country.
“The children who died are both boys and girls. I think they died because they could not swim,” Commissioner Warsono said.
“The boat was a complete wreck. The crew escaped and we don’t really know how many passengers there were, … it’s still difficult to talk to them because they’re still in trauma”.
Different reports suggest between 73…
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