Six persons have been rescued after a boat believed to be carrying 150 asylum seekers attempting to reach Australia sank in the Sunda Strait between Java and Christmas Island. The six survivors had been in the water for about 24 hours at the time of rescue by a merchant ship. Given warmer water temperatures in may be possible to survive for 36-48 hours in the water. Indonesian and Australian forces and private ships are searching for survivors. The boat’s passengers included women and children are believed to have been Afghan asylum seekers.