Inquest into the Deaths of Mohammad NOOR and Mohammad HASSAN and Mr SABIBULLAH (SABIB ULLAH)
Deceased
Mohammad NOOR and Mohammad HASSAN and Mr SABIBULLAH
Demographics
male
Date of death
2013-01-24
Finding date
2015-01-15
Cause of death
Immersion (drowning) in the Indian Ocean
AI-generated summary
Three stateless Rohingya men from Myanmar seeking asylum died by drowning in the Indian Ocean off Christmas Island on 24-25 January 2013. After their vessel (SIEV580) broke down on 23 January 2013 near Christmas Island, the captain and three passengers (Mohammad Hassan, Mohammad Noor, and Mr Sabibullah) constructed a makeshift raft from bamboo, rope, and inflated tyre tubes to seek help. The raft disintegrated in extremely rough seas on their first night. The captain survived by clinging to driftwood and eventually reached Christmas Island, where he was found on 30 January 2013 severely dehydrated and sun-burned. Extensive search and rescue operations found no trace of the three men, and the coroner concluded they drowned. The deaths were found to be by misadventure. The men acted altruistically in attempting to save the remaining 16 passengers and crew still on the disabled vessel.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Unseaworthy vessel with engine failure
- Makeshift raft construction using inadequate materials
- Extremely rough seas overnight 24-25 January 2013
- Raft disintegration in rough water conditions
- Treacherous coastline and rocky access to Christmas Island
- Lack of proper life jackets or flotation devices
- Lack of understanding of hazardous maritime conditions near Christmas Island
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