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Indon soldiers accused over boat tragedy

Indonesian police are investigating a group of soldiers who are accused of being involved with the asylum seeker boat that sank last weekend.

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Source: AAP


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Three Indonesian soldiers are being investigated over their alleged involvement in last weekend's asylum seeker boat tragedy.

Up to 200 people are feared drowned after their boat capsized in rough seas off East Java, 60km into its voyage to Christmas Island.

At least 47 survivors were rescued after the ship, which had a capacity of 100 but was carrying 250 mostly Afghan and Iranian migrants, sank 40 nautical miles off eastern Java on Saturday.

Indonesian national police General Crimes Division director Brigadier General Aridono Sukmanto has told the ABC that a group of soldiers is being investigated over the disaster.

A military spokesman in East Java says the owners of two small boats used to ferry the asylum seekers out to the doomed ship have accused the soldiers of being involved.


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