Australian: Boat sinks off Christmas Island 150 people missing
A boat carrying an estimated 150 people has capsized north of Christmas Island, Australian officials say, a week after an asylum-seeker boat sank in the area.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said the boat sent a distress call early on Wednesday.
Two merchant vessels were at the scene and working to rescue people from the water, AMSA said.
Two Australian navy vessels were also on their way to the site.
Last week, a boat carrying asylum-seekers sank off Christmas Island, which is part of Australian territory.
The boat was believed to have been carrying about 200 people. A total of 110 people were rescued and 17 bodies were found. The search for survivors was called off late on Saturday.
"A merchant vessel arrived on scene at approximately 1030 AEST (0230 GMT). That vessel has advised us that the vessel has sunk and persons are in the water," AMSA said.
Christmas Island lies off Australia's north-west coast. It is closer to Indonesia than Australia, and is targeted by asylum-seekers hoping to get to Australia.
These boats are often overloaded and poorly maintained. About 50 asylum-seekers died when their boat broke up on rocks off Christmas Island in December 2010.