THE deaths of four more asylum seekers at sea is a tragedy, but not a surprise, for a senior official at the heart of Australia's border control response.

A boat capsized about 7pm (AEST) last night while under the escort of two naval vessels en route to Christmas Island. Four bodies were recovered from the water and another 144 people were rescued.

"At one level, tragically, some of us weren't necessarily particularly surprised that another boat had capsized," Christmas Island administrator Jon Stanhope told ABC Radio this morning.

"We now have mortuary facilities that will cater for 50 bodies and that is a statement within itself," Mr Stanhope said, adding that had increased from about five in the past year.

An average 100 people per day arrive at Christmas Island for refugee processing and three naval vessels based at the station were "constantly being called out".

As the perils of sea continue to prove deadly, Mr Stanhope said he would like to see a greater level of humanity shown towards boat people.

"I sometimes wish that among some of the debate and some of the commentary and some of the discourse, that each of us would look at asylum seekers not as a bulk, an anonymous grouping, but as individual human beings that have hopes and aspirations and dreams and feel the same pain and suffer the same grief as each of us," he said.

The doomed vessel had first made a distress call around 2.15am but poor weather conditions had prevented Australian authorities boarding the boat.

It was being escorted to Christmas Island by HMAS Albany when it capsized.

Few on board had been seen wearing life jackets before the vessel overturned.

Two Navy vessels on scene at capsized vessel 70nm north of Christmas Island. Rescue underway for up to 180 people. — AMSA News (@AMSA_News) July 16, 2013

The tragic incident came just days after a baby boy drowned and eight others, including at least two children, vanished after an asylum boat which took on water north of Christmas Island.

It also follows the dramatic rescue of an asylum boat captain 12 hours after he plunged from a vessel on Sunday, hours before another crewmen leapt off the boat but was brought back on board.

About 70 asylum seekers were involved in an earlier rescue directed by AMSA.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke said the latest disaster was evidence the government needed to find a regional solution to its growing border crisis.

"When you see some of the horrors that have unfolded in recent days nobody can doubt the need for a serious regional response beyond slogans and beyond political rhetoric," he said.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said: "Our focus right now should be on supporting those Australians doing their utmost in trying to circumstances to save lives."

Since Prime Minister Kevin Rudd returned as Prime Minister 2376 people have a arrived on boats, including 2138 already this month. This does not include survivors from the capsize or the group rescued earlier by HMAS Bathurst.

In addition to the baby boy from Sri Lanka who drowned this month and the eight missing, 220 asylum seekers have either drowned or vanished this year and more than 15,600 have arrived safely.

The surge has come amid warnings from Foreign Minister Bob Carr that arrivals, on track to be around 40,000 this year, could double to 80,000 a year.

He warned the government's response would be strong.

Before the capsize, Mr Morrison said the Coalition remained committed to its tow back policy and welcomed Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natelagawa saying on Monday the country was willing to discuss the policy.

"The Coalition certainly welcomes the statement made by Dr Natalegawa that obviously discussions and dialogue would obviously continue if the Coalition government was elected in Australia. Of course, the Indonesian government would always deal with the government of the day in Australia, and I think that's a positive thing," he said.

"I also note that Dr Natalegawa has completely rejected the suggestion made by the Prime Minister that the Coalition's policies could lead to some sort of Konfrontasi situation."