JAKARTA, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities confirmed Friday that the death toll from an asylum-seeker boat capsize off the southern coast of Java island Tuesday rose to 15, as rescuers continued searching for survivors.
West Java's Bandung search and rescue agency spokesman Rochmali told Xinhua that four more bodies were recovered Friday morning, three days after the boat carrying more than 200 asylum seekers capsized.
"We have sent a helicopter out two times this morning to scan the sea, however, no more survivors were found," Rochmali said, adding his agency will suspend the search effort tomorrow as the chance to find more survivors fades.
Rochmali said part of the 189 saved asylum seekers, most of whom are from Iran, Iraq and Sri Lanka, have been transferred to temporary detention center in West Java's Bogor city by the immigration office.
Rochmali told Xinhua earlier that the wooden boat capsized off the coast of West Java province's Cianjur Regency Tuesday night, about 200 km southeast of Indonesian capital Jakarta, on its way to Australia's Christmas Island.
The Jakarta Post reported Friday that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received a telephone call from Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Thursday and the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in tackling transnational crimes particularly people smuggling.
Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago country with 17,000 islands, is a favorite transit point for migrants from Middle East and South Asia seeking asylum in Australia.
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