Christmas Island

In a similar juxtaposition, Linda Briskman and Michelle Dimasi detail efforts by residents of the Australian Territory of Christmas Island to rescue men, women, and children from the wreck of the Janga, an asylum-seeker boat that was dashed to pieces in stormy weather.

Noor was initially detained in an immigration camp on the Australian territory of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean before he was relocated to Melbourne on a bridging visa while awaiting the outcome of his refugee application, Curr said.

The migrants have been at sea for about a month and were trying to reach the Australian territory of Christmas Island.

Australia's immigration department said there was a "major disturbance" at the detention centre on the country's territory of Christmas Island, with reports of damage but no injuries.

Most detainees co-operated with police negotiators at the detention centre on the Australian territory of Christmas Island.

Still, asylum seekers who travel in rickety boats are detained in unsanitary, unsafe, and unsuitable detention camps on the remote Australian territory of Christmas Island and on the impoverished Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

It covers people who have been held on Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island at some point over the past three years, meaning there are thousands of potential claimants.

It had departed from the Indonesian fishing town of Pelabuhan Ratu , and was making its way to the Australian territory of Christmas Island.

SYDNEY -- An asylum-seeker boat carrying 105 people has begun sinking north of the Australian territory of Christmas Island with a rescue operation underway, officials said Tuesday.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) earlier reported a vessel with about 105 people on board was in trouble 120 nautical miles north of the Australian territory of Christmas Island. AMSA had received a request for assistance from someone onboard and a navy ship and a customs and border protection aircraft responded.

Norwegian car carrier MV Parsifal was the first to respond to a distress call by the 67 asylum seekers near Java, who were heading for the Australian territory of Christmas Island, 250 miles to the south.