Australia suspends search for survivors of sinking
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 10:36 AM ET
The Associated Press
Australian authorities suspended a three-day air and sea search Wednesday for survivors of a weekend boat-sinking, saying it was unlikely the nine missing people were still alive in the remote waters of the Indian Ocean.
In Adelaide, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said Australian rescuers and international vessels had acted quickly to reach the area and rescued 27 people after a distress call was sent Sunday morning from the vessel, carrying suspected asylum seekers from Sri Lanka.
One body also was recovered, while two bodies were sighted but not retrieved. Nine others remained missing and were presumed dead, O'Connor said.
The boat sank late Sunday about 650 kilometres from the Cocos Islands, sparsely populated atolls about 2,400 kilometres northwest of the Australian coast and about 1,300 kilometres south of Indonesia.
