A year on, a sad Christmas Island return

SAYED Hossien Hossieni finally said goodbye to his wife Mariem yesterday as he stood on the treacherous Christmas Island coastline.

SIEV memorial

SAYED Hossien Hossieni finally said goodbye to his wife Mariem yesterday as he stood on the treacherous Christmas Island coastline where, a year ago, she and his three-month-old son Saam perished in an angry sea.

"I feel she's been buried here and I had a chance to come here on the day it happened, it gave me a chance to say goodbye," the 30-year-old Iranian said through an interpreter, after attending a memorial service on the island.

"I'm living with this memory day and night . . . coming back didn't make it worse, it's an opportunity to see and say goodbye."

Mr Hossieni was one of the 42 who survived the sinking of SIEV 221, an overcrowded Indonesian fishing vessel that foundered in wild weather and sank, claiming the lives of 50 asylum-seekers. His wife's remains were never recovered, leaving him to "talk to the sea" to say his farewells. His son is buried in Sydney.

Despite dramatic footage flashed across the world of the SIEV 221 being smashed onto Rocky Point last year, the tragedy has done little to stem the flow of asylum-seekers seeking a better life in Australia.

In the past 11 days, seven boats have been detected in Australian waters, the latest - carrying 100 asylum-seekers and two crew - being the 67th vessel this year.

Mr Hossieni and two other survivors - Majed Sharifi and Meysam Rahimzadeh - spent yesterday surrounded by island locals who helped save them.

About 80 people attended yesterday's memorial - including navy crew and police who investigated the disaster - but most were locals who are still reeling from what they saw that day.

"It was a good sort of emotion," islander Barbara Copeland said of the ceremony. "It was beautiful, it was another step forward for the Christmas Island community as part of the healing process."

Ms Copeland was one of the volunteer ambulance workers who helped in the onshore rescue, which saw dozens of locals fling life jackets into the ocean from the cliff face.

The three survivors said yesterday had given them the chance to grieve with the islanders and form new friendships.

"Even though we lost our loved ones, we realise we have found many new friends who are sharing the pain with us and caring for us, it's a great feeling to have," Mr Hossieni said. The survivors said they were touched by a statement from Julia Gillard that was read at the memorial.

"This was the worst shipwreck in Australian waters for over a century, and those present will carry the sounds and images of that day in their hearts forever," the Prime Minister wrote.

Mr Hossieni has been granted refugee status and is now a permanent resident of Australia.