Australia defends response to boat accident

Prime Minister Gillard defends decision to call of search for bodies of drowned asylum seekers.

Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard has defended a decision to leave the bodies of drowned asylum seekers in the ocean.

A boat carrying at least 55 people went down last week, near the Australian territory of Christmas Island.

Groups representing asylum seekers have criticised the decision not to recover the bodies.

Al Jazeera’s Andrew Thomas reports from Sydney.

Source: Al Jazeera