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Australia says Indonesia failed to help sinking boat.

The Australian Government has accused Indonesian authorities of failing to act on advice that a boat carrying asylum seekers was sinking within its search and rescue area.

353 people drowned in the incident in October last year, as Dana Robertson reports.

In evidence to the children overboard inquiry the Australian Navy's been accused of not responding to the stricken boat. But in a letter that's been tabled at the inquiry the Defence Minister, Robert Hill, says that's not the case, because the nearest Australian ship was at least 150 nautical miles from where it's believed the boat sank. He says Australia notified Indonesian rescue authorities, because the vessel was believed to be within Indonesian waters, but received no response. Senator Hill says Australian authorities didn't issue a rescue alert to ships in the area as there was insufficient information about the stricken boat's location.

01/05/2002 23:26:11 | ABC Radio Australia News

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