Politics
Australia Remembers SIEV X Disaster 25 Years On, 353 Dead
On October 19, 2001, Australia's deadliest asylum seeker boat disaster occurred when the SIEV X sank, killing 353 people, including 146 children.
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THE PRIMARY BRIEF
- 01 · The primary finding
On October 19, 2001, Australia's deadliest asylum seeker boat disaster, the sinking of the SIEV X, killed 353 people, including 146 children, off the coast of Java, Indonesia.
- 02 · The primary evidence
The vessel, carrying around 400 asylum seekers, capsized in international waters while en route to Christmas Island, Australia; only 45 people survived. The incident occurred during Australia's federal election campaign, which was focused on border protection.
- 03 · Why it matters
The tragedy profoundly influenced Australia's asylum seeker policies and continues to shape national discourse on migration, serving as a stark reminder of the human cost of border control.
On October 19, 2001, Australia experienced its deadliest asylum seeker boat disaster when the SIEV X (Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel X) capsized and sank in international waters off the coast of Java, Indonesia, resulting in the deaths of 353 people. The victims included 146 children, 142 women, and 65 men, with only 45 survivors from the estimated 400 to 421 asylum seekers aboard.
This tragedy continues to shape Australia's national discourse on migration and border protection, serving as a stark reminder of the human cost involved in asylum seeker journeys, even as critics argue that policies have become more stringent since the incident.
What the records show
Timeline
What changed and for whom
What the subject has said publicly
What we could not confirm
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