Navy attends another boat of asylum seekers in distress A file photo of asylum seekers on HMAS Bathurst Source: News Limited A NAVY boat and Customs ship are racing to another asylum boat in distress northeast of Christmas Island. The latest vessel, carrying around 80 people, called for help just after midday and an RAAF P3 Orion was now monitoring it, a spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said. A merchant vessel nearby is responding and HMAS Bathurst and Customs vessel Triton are on the way to the vessel, 94 nautical miles northeast of Christmas Island. Poor weather has plagued the area for the past week, with two capsizes and at least 13 deaths since Friday. Harrowing ordeal for asylum seekers Asylum seeker deaths take toll Four dead in latest boat tragedy