(CNN) -- Australian authorities on Monday raised the death toll of asylum-seekers killed last week in a shipwreck on Christmas Island to 48, possibly more than half of the passengers on the boat.
Federal police believe as many as 90 people were on the ship when it crashed into the cliffs along Christmas Island on Wednesday.
The incident has spawned protests from asylum-seekers in detention center camps, including shipwreck survivors, who claim the Australian Navy didn't do enough to save the lives of those who died in the accident.
It has also provoked criticism of Prime Minister Julia Gillard for being soft on border protection. Since winning the Australian federal election in September, Gillard has adopted a tougher stance on asylum seekers, with plans to open more detention centers. CNN
