Search for missing asylum seekers called off

UPDATE 7.50AM: Authorities have called off the search for survivors of a suspected asylum seeker boat that sank in remote waters far off the coast of WA.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor said medical advice to rescuers suggested it was unlikely anyone could have survived such a long period in the water.

The death toll for the disaster now stands at 12.

“Medical advice received indicates that there is no further chance of survivability,” he said.

“This is a tragic incident.”

He said the 27 survivors, which included 26 males and a 15-year-old boy would now be taken to Christmas Island for identity and health checks.

The group are being carried aboard the commercial tanker, the LNG Pioneer. The ship is also carrying a body recovered from the scene.

The ship believed to have been carrying 39 Sri Lankan asylum seekers sank on Sunday while apparently on route to Australia.

The search was scaled back last night as hopes faded they could be found alive after three nights in the ocean.

Two more bodies are believed to have been spotted yesterday, but could not be retrieved. Two children are believed to be among the missing.

Commercial ships and Australian search aircraft were sent to the area on Sunday night after the boat made an urgent mayday call by satellite phone to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra.

The small boat was carrying 39 Sri Lankan asylum seekers when it sank, as a 277m LNG tanker arrived to help.

Yesterday, Home Affairs Minster Brendan O'Connor said a Taiwanese fishing boat, which was first on the scene, had left to refuel, but a Japanese fishing boat had joined the search.

Eleven Australian search and rescue aircraft have combed a massive area.

The survivors are aboard the Bahamas-registered LNG Pioneer, which is expected to make for Christmas Island where the rescued Sri Lankans will be processed. It is understood the search was to be wound back last night, with authorities doubtful there could still be survivors.

The rescue drama was played out as a new poll suggested the Australian public was growing increasingly dubious of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's border protection credentials.

A Newspoll published yesterday showed support for the Rudd Government has slumped over the past fortnight by 7 percentage points to 52 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

The slump followed two weeks of parliamentary debate dominated by the asylum seeker issue.

Quizzed about the poll, Mr Rudd said the Government would take a hardline stance on people smugglers while being humane on asylum seekers. "Polls go up, polls go down," he said. "My job is to govern in the national interest, because my job is to make decisions in the long-term national interest."

There is no end in sight to the stand-off in Indonesian waters in which 78 Sri Lankans are refusing to leave the Australian Customs vessel, the Oceanic Viking.

Premier Colin Barnett yesterday supported calls by the union movement and said the 78 should be taken to Christmas Island.

"I think what we're seeing here is a fairly indecisive approach," he said.

"No one likes this situation but it's there, it's reality, 78 human beings on an Australian Government ship.

"They are our responsibility so let's deal with it."