The search for missing bodies of the boat tragedy involving asylum seekers off the coast of Australia continues.

However, the tragedy highlights the plight of those who go in search of new lives but end up in one of three detention centres on Australia's Christmas Islands.

It is not the first time that a tragedy of this sort has happened, but this is one that gained prominence due to the availability of the terrible images of the tragedy that were broadcast throughout the world.

Al Jazeera's Andrew Thomas reports from Christmas Island.