Australia intercepts suspected smuggling vessel

[News_Editor]

Australia intercepts suspected smuggling vessel

2011-07-24 12:35:45 GMT+7 (ICT)

SYDNEY (BNO NEWS) -- The Australian Border Protection Command on Saturday evening intercepted a suspected people smuggling vessel carrying more than 50 people, officials said on Sunday.

HMAS Bundaberg, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the vessel north of the Ashmore Islands, a group of uninhabited islands in the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia. The vessel was carrying a total of 47 passengers and four crew members.

"The vessel was initially detected by a Customs and Border Protection Dash 8 surveillance aircraft, operating under the control of Border Protection Command," said Kylie Skotnicki, a government spokesperson. "The passengers will be transferred to Christmas Island pending removal to another country."

The Australian Navy frequently intercepts vessels carrying dozens of asylum seekers. On Wednesday and Thursday, two vessels carrying nearly 120 people were intercepted in waters northeast and northwest of Christmas Island.

In December 2010, at least 30 people were killed when a boat carrying more than 90 asylum seekers sank off the coast of Christmas Island. Forty-two people were rescued, while an unknown number of people remain missing.

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