Per The Australian, five people died and 51 were injured Thursday when a boat filled with refugees off the coast of Australia caught fire. Western Australia officials believe the blaze may have been started deliberately.
Australian Twitterers immediately joined the discussion upon hearing the news, providing context and offering personal opinions.
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KILLcade (Melbourne, Australia) This is an unbelievably chilling sign outside Broome Hospital in anticipation of the Asylum Seeker boat explosion: http://is.gd/sGBG 16 Apr 2009 from Nambu -
paulkidd (Drummond North, Australia) If Howard were still PM, this asylum-boat accident would be being spun as a terrorist act. 16 Apr 2009 from twhirl -
cannboys (Melbourne, Australia) I'm sure if Peter Reith and John Howard were still in charge, they'd find a way to blame the asylum seekers for the explosion on the boat... 16 Apr 2009 from Ping.fm -
seanbedlam (Melbourne, Australia) Sweet! My beautiful Australia is about to get stuck into boat people again! God I love my embarrassing, scared-of-refugees cuntry. 16 Apr 2009 from web -
timjeffries (Preston, Australia) WA Premier says that asylum seekers lit their own boat on fire ... Are we in for another Tampa? 16 Apr 2009 from Tweetie -
jasonlangenauer (Sydney, Australia) Poured petrol all over their boat? Like fun. Children overboard all over again. 16 Apr 2009 from web
News outlets and journalists in Australia used Twitter to add to the story.
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TurnbullMalcolm (Sydney, Australia) just did a doorstop interview in Brisbane on the tragic explosion on the asylum seekers’ vessel of WA http://tinyurl.com/dnhqeo 16 Apr 2009 from web -
SBSNews (Australia) Medics are being flown to a makeshift hospital in Western Australia to treat survivors of the asylum seeker boat blast: http://cli.gs/WRdyuB 16 Apr 2009 from web -
earleyedition (Brisbane, Australia) editRT @jg_rat 1.boat in custody at time explosion 2.Details on WA Premier claim asylum seekers doused own boat in petrol http://is.gd/sGTA 16 Apr 2009 from TweetGrid
Boat carrying refugees set on fire off Australia coast
mexicoreporter (Mexico) Obama' jsut drove past the office - him and about 29 other cars with blacked-out windows.
LaChilangabacha (Tenochtitlan, Mexico) @MariRamos It's raining Obama in the Distrito Federal.
plick88 (Mexico City, Mexico) Mexico City is caos today because of president Obama's prescence. There is traffic everywere.
Atiret (Mexico) @UstreamTV Mexico City is right now a bunker, because Obama is here, i believe it´s ok, he is welcome in Mexico.
lpoblete (Mexico) i´ve heard barak obama is in mexico city right now......we both are very important persons.....jajajajjajajajaja
inmodeofinertia (Jalisco, Mexico) welcome to Mexico city mr. Obama!
