WA: Two more injured boat people released from hospital

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2009
WA: Two more injured boat people released from hospital

PERTH, April 30 AAP - Two more asylum seekers badly burnt in the fatal boat explosion
off Western Australia have been discharged from a Perth hospital.

A total of six burns victims are now receiving outpatient care with Royal Perth Hospital
(RPH) after two were discharged late Wednesday afternoon.

A hospital spokeswoman said on Thursday the rest of the 23 victims treated at RPH were
in a stable condition.

She said two people remained in the intensive care unit, three in the trauma unit and
12 in the burns unit.

The Department of Immigration said patients released from hospital would be held in
immigration residential housing in Perth while they underwent outpatient treatment at
RPH.

A vessel carrying 47 Afghan asylum seekers and two Indonesian crewmen was apprehended
in Australian waters near Ashmore Reef on April 16.

The boat blew up, leaving five people dead and seriously injuring others.

Of the injured, 23 burns victims, including 22 Afghan nationals and one Indonesian
- underwent marathon operations at RPH while others were transferred to hospitals in Darwin
and Brisbane.

Soon after the explosion, WA Premier Colin Barnett told reporters he had been informed
people on board the boat had poured petrol on the vessel before the explosion.

The federal government has refused to comment pending the outcome of a formal investigation
into the incident.

AAP ap/apm

KEYWORD: BOAT PERTH

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