SIEV 36

SIEV-36 (Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel 36) was a boat from Indonesia carrying 47 apparently Afghan asylum seekers and two Indonesian crew members. The vessel exploded and sank near Ashmore Reef, Australia in the early morning of 16 April 2009, shortly after being intercepted by an Australian patrol boat HMAS Albany. In recent years, a number of such vessels have arrived clandestinely in Australian waters and are sequentially designated as SIEVs by Australian border protection authorities for operational purposes.

Media reports provided the following information: The boat, the sixth to arrive in Australian waters in 2009, apparently left Indonesia the week before and was detected on the night of 15 April by HMAS Albany 600 km north of Broome and 840 km west of Darwin.

The explosion occurred while a boarding party from HMAS Childers was checking identification documents in the SIEV 36. The boarding party observed the smell of petrol and reported a disturbance on the boat about five minutes before the explosion occurred. Five passengers died and a further 51 people were injured, including several Australian Navy personnel.

A coronial inquest into the deaths of five asylum seekers has been told that the fire on board their boat was deliberately lit by passengers. Counsel assisting the coroner Stephen Walsh QC, told the inquest the boat's engine had been sabotaged and up to 30 litres of petrol had been leaked below deck in the bow area prior to the explosion. The ADF evacuated injured survivors to the mainland for treatment. Many of the casualties were severely injured, and were treated at hospitals in Darwin, Perth and elsewhere. Other survivors were put in the custody of Immigration officials in several locations.

Investigations as to the cause of the explosion were conducted by the Northern Territory police as the explosion occurred within NT jurisdiction.

The Federal Government offered Temporary protection visas to the apparent 42 surviving refugees on board, the crew was detained on people smuggling charges.

Coronial Findings

The coroner, Greg Cavanagh, returned findings on 17 March 2010. Among other things, the coroner found that the fire was deliberately lit, that he considered that crimes had been committed in relation to the incident and that each of the asylum seekers who gave evidence had lied to the inquiry.

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