Asylum boat off Indonesian coast sinks, at least 20 dead, 75 missing

2013-09-28 199

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

A boat carrying migrants from Indonesia to Australia sank on Saturday, killing at least 20 ... with 75 others still missing.

The boat sank off the south coast of Java.

Twenty-four survivors were transferred to a hotel, Indonesian immigration authorities say.

One survivor, a Lebanese national, says he called Australian search and rescue as they were sinking.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) LEBANESE NATIONAL, ABDULLAH AL QISI SAYING:

"Yes..yes we called him and we told him we are sinking. We need anybody to help us. Then they told me ok, how many are there of you. I told them 81, 35 children, ok, 35 children. They told me ok, send us the GPS position. I did, twice,"

He says the crew ran away as they made it to shore.

This immigration official notes the migrants' country of origin:

(SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) SUKABUMI IMMIGRATION STAFF, SAFARI SOMANTRI SAYING:

"They are mostly Leban