SYDNEY: Australian authorities intercepted a boat carrying more than 30 suspected asylum seekers today, the latest in a string of such vessels stopped in the country's waters this year.
Border agents intercepted the boat 42 km north of the Tiwi Islands, off Australia's northern coast, Home Affairs minister Bob Debus said in a statement.
The 31 passengers and three crew on board were being taken to Christmas Island, an Indian Ocean territory where the government detains and processes refugee applicants. Their nationalities were not immediately known.
Australia has long been a destination for people from poor, often war-ravaged countries hoping to start a new life. Most of the asylum seekers have come from Afghanistan, Iran and Sri Lanka.
A recent rise in boat arrivals has stoked a political debate over immigration. Last July, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd relaxed the mandatory detention policy for asylum seekers and allowed full residency visas for those who are accepted as refugees, rather than temporary visas granted by the previous government.
The opposition says Rudd's decision has made Australia a more attractive destination for people smugglers and their clients.
May 11, 2009
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