Six drown after boat carrying illegal immigrants capsizes off Indonesia

Six drown after boat carrying illegal immigrants capsizes off Indonesia

2011-11-02 00:33:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

CLAMIS, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least six illegal immigrants trying to reach Australia were killed on early Tuesday morning when their boat capsized off Indonesia, officials said.

The accident happened off Palawangan beach in the Ciamis district of West Java when strong waves hit the boat. The illegal immigrants were heading toward Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia.

Pangandaran Water Tourism Rescue Agency (Balawista) spokesman Asep Udel told the Antara news agency that local fishermen discovered six bodies which washed up on Palawangan beach. Among those killed were four women and two children.

In addition to those who drowned, fourteen survivors were rescued after they also washed up ashore. Officials said the illegal immigrants are from both Afghanistan and Iran, but authorities are uncertain how many people were actually on board the boat.

While the survivors are currently receiving medical treatment at local clinics, Balawista authorities have been patrolling the Palawangan waters with the help of local fishermen in search of more possible survivors or bodies.

On Sunday, authorities arrested eleven Afghan and Turkish illegal immigrants traveling in a vehicle in Ponorogo, East Java. Ponorogo police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Yudha Gustawan said they were also suspected of trying to reach Australia, but they were arrested since they lacked proper immigration documents.

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