Child survivor orphaned in boat disaster

A child survivor of the Christmas Island disaster lost both his parents when the asylum-seeker boat was smashed to pieces on rocks, it has emerged.

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A detainee already being held on Christmas Island had also lost seven relatives in the tragedy, it has emerged.

The death toll from the disaster has climbed to 30 after two bodies were found by divers near the hull of the destroyed Indonesian fishing vessel.

Forty-two people survived the incident, but Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says there's little hope of finding anyone else alive.

"The sad reality is we are now looking at more a recovery of bodies operation than a search for ... survivors," Mr Bowen told ABC Radio.

"That will occur until the Maritime Safety Authority and customs feel that there is no further benefit in continuing."

The wooden boat was carrying as many as 100 Iraqis, Iranians and Kurds when it smashed against Rocky Point in rough seas on Wednesday morning. Among those who lost their lives were 13 men, nine women, four children and four babies.

Mr Bowen said five survivors had been evacuated to Perth, or were in the process of being evacuated, for "more serious medical attention".

“There was a child on the boat with his parents and both of the parents were lost,” Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thomson said after attending a community reference group on the island.

Mr Thomson also said a detainee on the island had lost seven of his family, including his wife and wife's uncle, who had been trying to join him at Christmas Island.

“We are concerned that there's a man in detention on Christmas Island who lost seven members of his family including his wife, his wife's uncle and several other close relatives,” Mr Thomson told ABC radio.

“They were on the boat - he was in detention.”


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Source: AAP


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