Australian police today said that early reports suggested up to 75 asylum seekers had died after their boat capsized off remote Christmas Island en route from Sri Lanka. Western Australia police commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said a large number of the 200 on board were feared to have perished. 

O'Callaghan told reporters that there were about 200 refugees on board and currently there are about 40 on the hull and the rest are in the water. He said the boat capsized in Indonesian waters 120 nautical miles north of Australia's Christmas Island. O'Callaghan said the rescue operation will go well into the night.