Australian authorities too busy to recover floating bodies of asylum seekers

Australian authorities are too busy to recover the floating bodies of asylum seekers whose boat sank near Christmas Island.

Thirteen bodies were spotted on Saturday as aircraft and boats searched for the vessel that was believed to have been carrying about 55 men, women and children before it capsized northwest of the island.

A three-day search for any survivors was called off late yesterday with not a single person recovered from the water.

A Customs spokeswoman‘s told AAP no attempt to retrieve the bodies will be made today because border protection vessels and aircraft are involved in a number of ‘high priority operations’ in waters near Christmas Island and elsewhere.

The spokeswoman says the priority remains the protection of life and prevention of further loss of life.

She says when those operations are complete, attempts will be made to recover any bodies which may be relocated.

But she says the likelihood of a successful recovery diminishes over time.

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