A group of asylum seekers sailing from Indonesia to Australia yesterday threw children overboard into the Indian Ocean after their vessel was intercepted by the Australian navy and those on board were told to return to international waters.
It is believed the children were thrown overboard by adults aboard the vessel in the hope the youngsters would be rescued by the Australian navy and that the whole group would then be brought to Australia.
A number of adults from the ship, holding about 200 mainly Iraqi refugees, also jumped into the ocean in a bid to force their rescue by Australian naval personnel at the scene.
The Australian Immigration Minister, Mr Philip Ruddock, yesterday confirmed a number of children and been thrown into the ocean after the refugees' vessel was intercepted by the HMAS Adelaide, 120 nautical miles from Christmas Island off north eastern Australia.
Mr Ruddock said the ploy to force the rescue of the children was pre-meditated and one of the worst things he had ever heard of in public life.
The minister said the children were fitted with life jackets which suggested their entry into the water had been planned by others on board long before the ship was intercepted.
"I regard this as one of the most disturbing practices I've come across," he said.
It was "clearly planned and premeditated, people wouldn't come wearing life jackets unless they intended some action of this sort," Mr Ruddock said.
It was the first time that refugees bound for Australia have jumped from a ship intercepted by the navy.
However, t the Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, said last night that his government would not flinch from its policy of refusing boatpeople the right to land on Australian soil, a tactic first used during the Tampa crisis in August.
"We are not going to be intimidated out of our policy by this kind of behaviour, I want to make that very clear," he said.
"We are a humane nation, not a nation that is going to be intimidated by this kind of behaviour," the Prime Minister added.
The ABC last night reported the ship had been towed by the Australian navy deep into international waters and that the vessel was heading northwards in the direction of the main Indonesian island of Java.
The refugees are believed to have disembarked from Indonesia, probably on Saturday.
It is believed all of those adults and children who entered the water were returned to the ship before it began sailing northwards. The group's vessel was said to be sound and stocked with ample supplies of food and water.
Mr Howard drew criticism from the international community for his handling of the Tampa affair. However, his refusal to let the Tampa refugees land was broadly welcomed in Australia where anti-immigration feelings are currently running high.
Australia has just entered a five-week election campaign and immigration is likely to be one of the main focuses in the run up to the November 10th poll. Mr Howard is widely expected to be returned to power.
