A boat carrying 105 asylum seekers capsized north of the Australian territory of Christmas Island today.
The boat sank about 220 kilometres north of Christmas Island, where Australia operates a detention camp for asylum seekers.
According to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman, Navy vessel "is now conducting a rescue operation with support from a Customs Dash-8 aircraft".
Another Navy boat has been tasked and a merchant vessel is due to arrive "shortly".
This is the first reported boat accident in Australian waters since Labor announced its new asylum seeker policy in late July.
Published 20 August 2013, 05:29 IST