20 Dec 2011

More survivors from asylum boat found

1:12 pm on 20 December 2011

Indonesian authorities say they have found several more survivors from a boat that sank off the coast of Java on Saturday.

More than 200 people were on the boat when it sank in seas near East Java.

Fifteen more survivors were found on Monday, after they made their way to a village near the town of Biltar, bringing to 49 the total numver of survivors located.

Indonesian authorities have sent two boats and two helicopters to check other locations along the coast.

The search and rescue operation has been expanded to take in Bali and islands further east, such as Flores, the ABC reports.

Authorities had predicted strong currents would carry people and bodies a long way from the accident site.

Survivors of the mainly Afghan and Iranian group of asylum seekers have told of their terror out at sea as the boat began to sink.

They said they were a long way off the coast when the boat started to list to one side and take on water.