A boat carrying about 150 people who were believed to be asylum seekers flipped Tuesday in the waters off Australia’s Christmas Island.
Four were killed, The Associated Press reported. It’s not known exactly how many are still unaccounted for, AP said.
Two navy ships sent to help the boat weren’t able to board it because of poor weather conditions, AP reported. The ships instead tried to guide the vessel to the island, but it capsized in the rough sea water, Australia’s Customs and Border Protection Service reported.
Officials aboard the two navy ships managed to pull 144 from the water. Four bodies were recovered, AP reported.
Asylum seekers from Indonesia frequently look to Christmas Island as a potential destination, but hundreds have died in recent years while trying to navigate stormy waters.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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