Two officers implicated in Indonesian refugee tragedy

Two police officers have been arrested for allegedly participating in a people smuggling operation which resulted in the death of 374 refugees.

The asylum seekers were heading towards Australia by boat when it sank

after its bilge pump broke down and its leaky hull filled with water.

Only 44 people survived by clinging to wreckage for 20 hours before being rescued by fishing crews.

The arrests came two days after senior U.N. officials in Indonesia called for the government to investigate allegations by survivors that about 30 policemen threatened to kill them if they did not board the vessel. The officers were allegedly working with three people traffickers.

Originally, senior officials, denied any police were involved.

"They are now being questioned," said police chief General Suroyo Bimantoro . "We are not protecting the smugglers. We are hunting for them."

Survivors claim officers armed with pistols and automatic weapons forced 418 passengers to board the boat, even though several did not want to after seeing its poor condition.

They allegedly used their rifle butts to beat two asylum seekers.

The refugees say they then escorted the wooden boat out of Indonesian waters.

In recent months, thousands of asylum seekers have travelled through Indonesia in an effort to reach Australia.