Allvoices.com - Over 20 feared dead as boat sinks of Australia

Over 20 feared dead as boat sinks of Australia

More than 20 people were feared dead on Monday after a boat carrying about 40 sinks in rough seas far off northwest Australia, sparking frantic rescue efforts by a passing merchant ship and fishing vessel.

Australian officials said 17 people had been rescued by scrambling abroad life-rafts thrown out by the LNG Pioneer oil tanker, as it combed the area of the Cocos Island bofore dawn along with a Taiwanese fishing boat.

It was not confirmed whethwer the boat was one o dozens of people-smuggling vessels which have headed to Australia this year carrying more than 1,700 asylum-seakers, many of them from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

"We obviously have grave concerns about the safety of those who are still in the water, given they've been in there for a some time now,"a spokeman for the Australian authorities Maritime Safety Authority told AFP.

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