British Foreign Secretary Jack Strawsaid Monday that about 200 Britons are feared to have died in the tsunami disaster in Asia.

In addition to the 40 British people already confirmed dead, Straw told reporters that 159 more are "highly likely" to be victims of the tidal waves triggered by the earthquake in the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26.

Most of those unaccounted for were in Thailand where 43 Britishpolice officers have been deployed to help trace those still missing, Straw said.

A total of 113 family liaison officers are available to counselpeople who have lost loved ones and the government is also contributing to the repatriation of victims' remains, Straw added.

It is the first time the British government has given an official estimate of the number of Britons thought to be missing feared dead.