Questions have been raise about the rescue procedures of Australian Border Protection after two people died on Monday when a boat carrying 96 asylum seekers capsized near Christmas Island.
ABC News reports a Border Protection vessel travelled five hours to reach the boat after its crew contacted the Australian Maritime Safety Authority on Sunday night, and then had to wait eight hours for sunrise.
By this time the swell had increased and the boat capsized when two large waves struck it shortly after two officers boarded. A woman and a young boy drowned.
Former Australian diplomat Tony Kevin, who has observed tragedies at sea involving asylum seekers for over ten years, said based on the available facts, the conduct was “completely unnecessary and quite unprofessional”, and he is joining calls for a coronial inquiry.
"There had been opportunities through the night using search lights and loudhailers to establish what the situation was on the boat and to instruct the boat to follow the Ocean Protector safely towards Christmas Island,” he told ABC.
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"There are always people on these boats that understand enough English to comprehend simple messages like that."
Mr Kevin, who was a vocal critic of the Government's handling of the 2001 SIEV X disaster said “I think we need to know a lot more about what orders were given in the course of the interception and where those orders came from, from what level they came.”
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said today the government's no-advantage rule and offshore processing policies are not preventing people getting on boats.
She wants a coronial inquest and a review of Australia's boat interception protocols.
"We need to make sure we are doing absolutely everything we can to avoid these tragedies from happening," she said in Adelaide.
Independent Senator Andrew Wilkie said it was yet another "damning indictment of the government's flawed, irregular immigration policy".
"This is not a border security problem but a humanitarian challenge," he said.
"Unless and until there is a sophisticated policy addressing source, first asylum and transit countries, the boats will keep coming."
The Commander of Border Protection, Rear Admiral David Johnston said at a press conference that conducting boardings at night is “dangerous”.
“In the absence of an immediate appearance of distress our preference would be to conduct a day boarding.
“It's safer for our people and often for those that are on board.”
