Minister: 20 missing in Cocos boat disaster

CANBERRA, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Royal Australian Air Force plane has dropped a life raft to at least two survivors of a boat that sank northwest of the Cocos Islands, but about 20 people are missing, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor revealed on Monday.

A commercial ship carrying liquid natural gas, Bahamas-based LNG Pioneer, and a Taiwanese fishing vessel responded to a call for assistance from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) after it received a distress signal from the vessel on Sunday.

The crew on the commercial boats have told AMSA they believe 40 people were onboard the boat that sank.

O'Connor said there are 17 men aged between 20 and 40 are on the LNG Pioneer, and two people have been rescued by the fishing boat.

"We do not at this point determine whether the passengers aboard the vessel were seeking asylum," he told reporters.

"We will do this once this rescue mission is over."

He said the origin of the vessel and the nationality of those rescued are yet to be determined.

O'Connor said the vessel sank in the Australian search and rescue zone and survivors may be sent to Christmas Island for processing or taken to another port.

"The masters of the vessel will determine in conjunction with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority where the safest port will be," he said.

"We're still focusing on rescuing people at sea. That will continue until there is no chance of survival."