Fed: Up to 163 illegal immigrants feared drowned = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2000
Fed: Up to 163 illegal immigrants feared drowned = 2

Mr Ruddock said up to 350 people may have drowned earlier this year when a boat disappeared
on its way to Australia, although wreckage was never found.

"Last March, we estimate that one-third of boats attempting to bring people illegally
to Ashmore Islands did not arrive," he said.

"There are treacherous waters and some of the boats are not seaworthy."

Mr Ruddock said authorities such as the Navy, customs, Coastwatch and the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority had been asked to investigate the reports.

"We've asked for the tasking of our resources to assist in endeavouring to locate (them)
- we've asked for that, now I can't give you precise details of what they'll be doing
operationally."

He said the boats would be difficult to locate because there was no indication of where
they had disappeared, and they were probably well outside Australia's maritime zone.

Last year, a man died while trying to swim from a boat to an island off Western Australia.

AAP jb/daw/jnb/bwl d

KEYWORD: BOAT 2 CANBERRA

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.