More than 100 suspected asylum seekers have been pulled to safety by rescuers after their boat sank in the Indian Ocean.
The vessel went down about 140 miles (220km) north of Christmas Island, where Australia operates a detention camp for asylum seekers.
An Australian navy ship rushed to the scene after the Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a call for help from someone on board. When the navy ship arrived, the boat was partially submerged and passengers were struggling in the water.
Rescuers plucked 106 people to safety, the Customs and Border Protection agency said in a statement. Two people had minor injuries.
The search and rescue effort is continuing, though it was unclear whether more people were missing. The maritime authority initially estimated that 105 people were on board the stricken vessel.
Christmas Island, located about 310 miles (500km) south of Jakarta, Indonesia, is a popular destination for asylum seekers who crowd into rickety boats at Indonesian ports and pay smugglers to take them to Australian shores. Hundreds have died while attempting the journey in recent years.
Australia is trying to discourage such risky journeys and announced last month that it would no longer accept asylum seekers who arrive by boat. Instead, it is evaluating their claims and resettling verified refugees in Papua New Guinea or the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru.