Australia intercepts suspected smuggling vessel carrying more than 70

[News_Editor]

Australia intercepts suspected smuggling vessel carrying more than 70

2011-08-19 18:25:03 GMT+7 (ICT)

SYDNEY (BNO NEWS) -- The Australian Border Protection Command on Friday intercepted a suspected people smuggling vessel carrying more than 70 people, the government said.

HMAS Ararat, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, intercepted the vessel north of Christmas Island, an island in the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia. The vessel was carrying a total of 71 passengers and two crew members.

"The vessel was initially detected by a RAAF P3 aircraft, operating under the control of Border Protection Command," said Maria Hawthorne, a government spokeswoman. "The passengers will be taken to Christmas Island for pre-transfer assessments, pending removal to another country."

The Australian Navy frequently intercepts vessels carrying dozens of asylum seekers off its coast. On Thursday and Friday of last week, two vessels carrying a total of 167 people were intercepted northeast and northwest of Christmas Island.

Australia currently has more than 6,000 asylum seekers from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, in detention. The United Nations has previously criticized the country for holding all asylum seekers in detention centers while their applications are being assessed.

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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