Lifebuoy from the MV Tampa

This lifebuoy was used on the Norwegian merchant vessel, MV Tampa which responded to an emergency call and rescued 438 asylum seekers at sea on 26 August 2001. The asylum seekers were trying to reach Australia in a 20-metre wooden fishing boat when it began to sink about 140 kilometres north of Christmas Island. The rescue was particularly difficult because of the difference in size of the two vessels, with the MV Tampa at least 10 times larger than the fishing boat.