CANBERRA – A detainee has died after escaping from the Christmas Island immigration detention centre.
The Immigration Department said the man was noticed missing by centre staff on Saturday morning and his body was found on Sunday by Australian Federal Police officers.
The Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) has named the man as Fazel Chegeni, an Iranian Kurd in his early 30s who was found to be a refugee two and half years ago.
Advocate Ian Rintoul claims he was still in detention due to being involved in a fight at the Curtin Detention Centre.
The RAC claim he escaped on Friday after telling other detainees he could no longer stand being in detention and just wanted “to go outside.”
The circumstances of his death are not known and the matter has now been referred to the coroner.
The Immigration Department states that the detention centre remains calm and advises that support services are available to all detainees and staff.