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Explosion on asylum boat off Australia

Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:39pm EDT
CANBERRA, April 16 (Reuters) - An explosion occurred on a boat carrying around 49 asylum seekers to Australia's Christmas Island, an Australian government spokeswoman said on Thursday.

The boat was intercepted near Ashmore Island off the northwest coast of Western Australia on Wednesday and is believed to be carrying 49 people from Afghanistan.

There were no offical details of injuries, but local media said Royal Darwin Hospital had been told three people are dead, two are missing and scores are injured. (Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Michael Perry)


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