The bodies of 13 people are found and 50 more are feared dead after asylum seekers' boat capsizes in Australian waters

A tragedy was unfolding in the Indian Ocean today as searchers found 13 bodies, with another 50 people missing from a sunken asylum-seeker boat.
The group had been sailing from Indonesia to Christmas Island, which is in Australian territory, when their leaky fishing vessel came to grief.
Its upturned hull, surrounded by debris, was found - before several of the bodies were located.

Many asylum seekers hope for a better life in Australia and surrounding territories - sometimes with devastating consequences. This boat was driven on to the rocks surrounding Christmas Island in December 2010

While most of those on board were men, the passengers who had set out looking for a new life in Australia included women and children.
'This is another terrible tragedy - another terrible reminder how dangerous these journeys are,' said Australia's Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare.
He said in Canberra today that at least 55 people had been seen by a border patrol aircraft on the deck of the vessel last Wednesday, some 28 miles north west of Christmas Island.

 

Opposition border protection spokesman Michael Keenan repeated Mr Clare's view, telling Sky News today: 'This is another terrible human tragedy.'
A navy ship, HMAS Warramunga was sent to the area until the boat's submerged hull was spotted by an Air Force plane some 65 miles north west of Christmas Island.
What has been described as a 'debris field' - including lifejackets - was found.

At least 27 people died when this boat was smashed against rocks by the waves off of Christmas Island in 2010

Then as night fell, a body was seen from the air, but the crew of the naval ship were unable to find it.

With two merchant vessels answering the call for assistance, nine bodies were found on Saturday and by today a total of 13 bodies had been located, but none had yet been recovered from the water.
Mr Clare said that when the vessel was first spotted on Wednesday it did not appear to be in distress.
But whenever asylum seeker boats are located, naval vessels are sent out to escort them to Christmas Island where the passengers - mostly from Iraq, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka - are questioned about their backgrounds.
On this occasion, the navy ship was unable to locate the boat and the search for more bodies was continuing throughout today.
Meanwhile a distress call has been received by a second boat some 110 miles north of Christmas Island. Aircraft and rescue vessels were heading to the area.
The asylum seeker debate - sparked by the Labour Government's 'open door' policy in contrast to the tough stance of the previous Liberal government of John Howard - has made Prime Minister Julia Gillard unpopular among many Australians.
Tens of thousands have reached Australian territory since the Labour government came to power in 2007 - since the beginning of 2013 more than 11,300 asylum seekers have reached Australia, 660 arriving in the first week of June alone.
The asylum seeker controversy is expected to be a major issue in the September general election.
Opinion polls indicate that Labour is heading for a landslide defeat.