The grieving father of a three-year-old boy who drowned at sea did not know his wife and son were heading to Australia until she called him to say their asylum seeker boat had sunk off the coast of Java.
Thirteen people have been confirmed dead and 189 survivors have been rescued after Tuesday’s tragedy.
Sri Lankan national Naradasa Balamanaran has been working as a labourer in a factory since he came to Australia in 2009.
He first knew his wife and only child, Baremithan Balamanaran, were on an asylum seeker boat when she called him to say it had sunk.
He does not know where she called from.
His son’s body is among those retrieved, but Mr Balamanaran does not know where it is.
Mr Balamanaran’s friend, Runu Ramanathan, has been with him since he heard and translated his interview with the ABC’s PM program.
“I was there when he find out,” Mr Ramanathan said.
“When heard that news he just [threw] the phone and then he just [started] crying.”
Mr Ramanathan said it was a short conversation.
“Just for a while and he can’t speak after that because... of this incident,” he said.
“His missus was called our number and she told [him] his son is passed away.”
Before the sinking Mr Balamanaran had not heard from his wife for weeks.
In that time she and their son had travelled from Sri Lanka to Indonesia and then paid a people smuggler to come to Australia.
Mr Ramanathan says his friend is distraught.
“From yesterday afternoon until now I’m with him because he can’t even go to sleep. I didn’t go to bed either,” he said.
“I can’t explain what he’s done ... his reactions because his child is passed away he just concentrates on that.
“He’s angry now with the smugglers - not his wife.”
Mr Ramanathan says Mr Balamanaran had been trying to get his wife a spousal visa.
“He applied for that and then she got rejected,” he said.
“It’s been for a long time and then even his wife didn’t tell him she want to come in on a boat.
“Even until yesterday afternoon he doesn’t know his son is passed away. After that he knew that.”
Mr Ramanathan says his friend is turning to charity to help him find out where his son’s body is.
“I think he talked with his missus last night and after that we don’t have any contact with her so,” he said.
“That’s why we came to the Red Cross. The Red Cross can help us to find out anything.”
Since January more than 16,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Australia by boat, the majority from Iran, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. (ABC)
