Asylum seekers crash into reef after Australian turnback
Indonesian police say a boat carrying 65 asylum seekers and five crew crashed onto a reef after being turned back by Australia.
Those aboard — 54 Sri Lankans, 10 Bangladeshis, one person from Myanmar and five additional crew — told Indonesian police they were trying to get to New Zealand.
There were four women and three toddlers on board.
They are now being held on Rote Island off West Timor after crashing onto a reef near the remote Landuti Island.
One of the crew members fled from police and has not been located.
Island chief of police senior commissioner Hidayat told the ABC the latest boat was intercepted by an Australian border patrol after setting off from West Java on May 5.
The asylum seekers told police they were transferred onto a more seaworthy wooden boat, given dried fruit, biscuits, fuel and life jackets and escorted back to Indonesian waters.
The asylum seekers were found Monday by fishermen after the crash.
They will be transferred to Kupang in West Timor on Tuesday.
Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand recently ended the practice of turning asylum seeker boats away.
