Christmas Island boat disaster
Encyclopedia
On 15 December 2010, a boat carrying around 90 asylum seekers sank off the coast of Christmas Island
, an Australian territory
in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 30 people aboard; 42 survivors have been recovered. The boat was later named SIEV-221.
and was then smashed against the nearby cliffs, complicating rescue attempts.
For a period of about one hour, the unpowered boat was washed back and forth as backwash
pushed it away from the cliff. Many of those who entered the water grabbed onto the flotsam and jetsam
as the boat quickly broke up. Residents tried to help victims by throwing them life jackets
and other objects. Some refugees were battered by the debris from the disintegrating boat and some were able to use the life jackets thrown from the shore. Rescue efforts by Australian Customs and Border Protection included allocation of and ACV Triton
, with at least 42 survivors having been recovered from the ocean. One man was able to scramble ashore himself with a great leap. Poor weather conditions made rescue operations difficult. Two critical care teams from the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
left from Perth to provide medical assistance.
, Colin Barnett
, stated that "all available assets" were put on standby, and Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
announced that she would cut short her holiday to manage the emergency. A criminal investigation based on people smuggling
laws is being undertaken.
It was originally thought the boat held about 70 people but this figure may be as high as 100. The political repercussions of the disaster continue, and are concerned with knowledge of the boat's movements and what actions were taken. Prime Minister Gillard responded to initial questions of why the boat wasn't intercepted by explaining that considering the very rough seas, the response time by border protection authorities was adequate and that the extreme weather made radar less effective.
The search for survivors of the shipwreck was suspended on 18 December after doctors advised that survival was by then unlikely. Memorial services for those who were lost occurred on the 19 and 20 of December.
On 25 January 2011, three Indonesian men were charged with people-smuggling in connection with the incident. The men, who were on board the vessel when it sank, could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to A$
220,000 per person.
The first burials for those killed in the incident were held on 15 February 2011, with twelve funerals occurring in Sydney
, as families of the dead lived there, and five bodies being sent to other countries. The funerals in Sydney attracted opposition from politicians, who criticized the financial cost, and from family members, some of whom said the government failed to honor traditional Muslim funeral ceremonies.
claimed that she was told about another asylum boat in the vicinity by custom officials and that she was to speed up the processing of asylum seekers from a boat intercepted earlier that week.
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
, an Australian territory
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 30 people aboard; 42 survivors have been recovered. The boat was later named SIEV-221.
Incident
At about 6.30 a.m. local time the boat collided with rocks at Flying Fish CoveFlying Fish Cove
Flying Fish Cove is the main settlement of Australia's Christmas Island. Many maps simply label it “The Settlement”. It was the first British settlement on the island, established in 1888. The cove is named after the survey vessel ....
and was then smashed against the nearby cliffs, complicating rescue attempts.
For a period of about one hour, the unpowered boat was washed back and forth as backwash
Swash
Swash, in geography, is a turbulent layer of water that washes up on the beach after an incoming wave has broken. The swash action can move beach material up and down on the beach, which results in the cross-shore sediment exchange. The time-scale of swash motion varies from seconds to minutes...
pushed it away from the cliff. Many of those who entered the water grabbed onto the flotsam and jetsam
Flotsam and jetsam
In maritime law, flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict describe specific kinds of wreck.The words have specific nautical meanings, with legal consequences in the law of admiralty and marine salvage....
as the boat quickly broke up. Residents tried to help victims by throwing them life jackets
Personal flotation device
A personal flotation device is a device designed to assist a wearer, either conscious or unconscious, to keep afloat.Devices designed and approved by authorities for use by...
and other objects. Some refugees were battered by the debris from the disintegrating boat and some were able to use the life jackets thrown from the shore. Rescue efforts by Australian Customs and Border Protection included allocation of and ACV Triton
RV Triton
The Research Vessel Triton is a trimaran vessel owned by Gardline Marine Sciences Limited and a former prototype British warship demonstrator for the UK's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency...
, with at least 42 survivors having been recovered from the ocean. One man was able to scramble ashore himself with a great leap. Poor weather conditions made rescue operations difficult. Two critical care teams from the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
left from Perth to provide medical assistance.
Aftermath
The Premier of Western AustraliaPremier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
, Colin Barnett
Colin Barnett
Colin James Barnett , Australian politician, is the leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party, the 29th and current Premier of Western Australia since the 2008 election and served as the Treasurer of Western Australia in 2010. He was sworn into office by Governor Ken Michael on 23 September 2008...
, stated that "all available assets" were put on standby, and Australian Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
announced that she would cut short her holiday to manage the emergency. A criminal investigation based on people smuggling
People smuggling
People smuggling is defined as "the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries laws, either clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents"...
laws is being undertaken.
It was originally thought the boat held about 70 people but this figure may be as high as 100. The political repercussions of the disaster continue, and are concerned with knowledge of the boat's movements and what actions were taken. Prime Minister Gillard responded to initial questions of why the boat wasn't intercepted by explaining that considering the very rough seas, the response time by border protection authorities was adequate and that the extreme weather made radar less effective.
The search for survivors of the shipwreck was suspended on 18 December after doctors advised that survival was by then unlikely. Memorial services for those who were lost occurred on the 19 and 20 of December.
On 25 January 2011, three Indonesian men were charged with people-smuggling in connection with the incident. The men, who were on board the vessel when it sank, could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
220,000 per person.
The first burials for those killed in the incident were held on 15 February 2011, with twelve funerals occurring in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, as families of the dead lived there, and five bodies being sent to other countries. The funerals in Sydney attracted opposition from politicians, who criticized the financial cost, and from family members, some of whom said the government failed to honor traditional Muslim funeral ceremonies.
Investigation
On 11 July 2011, as part of the coronial inquest into the incident, the Western Australia's Coroner, Alastair Hope, began a a series of public hearings on the island. The inquest heard conflicting evidence related to the knowledge of whether or not the Australian Navy was aware of and expecting another asylum boat. Sonja Radovanovic, the Assistant director of the Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing CentreChristmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre
Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre or commonly just Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre, is an Australian immigration detention facility located on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.- History:...
claimed that she was told about another asylum boat in the vicinity by custom officials and that she was to speed up the processing of asylum seekers from a boat intercepted earlier that week.
See also
- Human trafficking in AustraliaHuman trafficking in AustraliaHuman trafficking in Australia is illegal under Division 270 of the Criminal Code . The amendment to the Code, made in 1999, implemented the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against...
- November 2009 Cocos (Keeling) Island migrant boat disasterNovember 2009 Cocos (Keeling) Island migrant boat disasterThe November 2009 Indian Ocean Migrant Boat Disaster occurred in the early hours of Monday, 2 November 2009, when a boat carrying about forty Sri Lankan asylum seekers sank in the Indian Ocean at a distance of some north-west of the Cocos Islands...
- SIEV XSIEV XSIEV X stands for Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel X. SIEV is the acronym used by the surveillance authority for any boat that has entered Australian waters without prior authorisation and the X is a designation where a tracking number has not or is yet to be assigned, in accordance with Australian...