Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, young Tamil asylum seekers who made the perilious journey to Christmas Island, recounted their ordeal.
A 17-year-old school boy said he left fearing arrest by the Sri Lankan Navy or police if he was found.
"It was very bad, for five days we had no food, no water, it was very, very scary," he said.
"We were vomiting blood. There were three small boys and every day we were vomiting blood. We were very frightened."
"It is five to six years jail. It is very dangerous, if police stop you [in Sri Lanka]. This is a safe place, there's freedom in this country."
Another young boy said that 'as Tamils they faced violence and persecution in Sri Lanka', reports the Herald Sun.
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