28 March 2010 02:26 pm
Senior naval sources claim people smugglers will bypass the traditional route through Indonesia or Malaysia in favour of the riskier route direct to Christmas Island.
It is understood senior Sri Lankan naval figures directly warned their Australian counterparts of the looming humanitarian crisis during high-level talks a month ago.
Senior navy sources said they were told several refugee boats set sail for Australia from northeastern Sri Lanka last year but had not been heard from since, the the Daily Telegraph said.