Christmas Island boat tragedy death toll could rise

Malcolm Farr -

Ocean border patrols were not aware of the doomed asylum seeker boat until it was "hard up'' on Christmas Island and in distress, Julia Gillard revealed today.

There were 43 critical minutes between the first alert, and reports by Australian Federal Police on Christmas Island that the vessel was breaking up.

By then it was too late to save the passengers, at least 28 of whom drowned when the craft was smashed into rocks by heavy seas. There were 42 rescued. 

The Prime Minister warned the death toll could rise.

Ms Gillard rejected speculation that the asylum seeker boat had been detected earlier but no effort had been made to escort it to safety.

She said the boat had escape surveillance in the dark, and in extreme weather. There was a limit to the surveillance of radar in "very rough, very difficult conditions''.

Ms Gillard invited the Opposition, the Greens and the independents to work with the Government on a response to the tragedy and promised "the truth, every fact'' would be made public.

But she warned: "What we know from past events like this one is that the facts take time to compile.''

She said there will be a West Australian coronial inquiry and a criminal investigation, and a Customs and Border Protection review of the events yesterday.

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