Photo taken by the MV Bison after arriving at the asylum-seeker boat before it capsized, June 27, 2012.

A  boat loaded with asylum seekers has capsized in Indonesian waters about 107 nautical miles north of Australia’s Christmas Island. The boat is reported to have had 150 passengers and crew aboard.  CNN is reporting that 136 have been rescued by two merchants ships.   This is the second boat overloaded with asylum seekers to have capsized and sunk within a week in the waters north of Christmas Island.

As reported by the Australian:

[Julia Gillard] said the Australian federal Police first received a call at 6.17am (AEST) from someone on the boat saying the vessel was in distress two nautical miles north of Christmas Island. However, upon arriving at the scene, rescuers found nothing.  A second phone call was received at 7.30am (AEST) correcting the first report, saying the boat was in fact 107 nautical miles north of Christmas Island. 

Two merchant vessels responded to a call issued by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and one, the MV Bison, spotted the boat at 10.30am (AEST).   On board were a number of passengers, many of whom were wearing lifejackets.  At 11.37am (AEST) the MV Bison reported the boat was sinking and people were in the water.

Rescuers save women and children after their asylum boat capsized

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Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing on the news.

for passing on the news.