Immigrant boat intercepted off WA
Posted Wed Dec 3, 2008 2:51pm AEDT Updated 11 hours 19 minutes ago
Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus says the boat is believed to have travelled from Sri Lanka. (ABC News: Damien Larkins)
The Federal Government has confirmed that a boat carrying 35 passengers and five crew has been intercepted off the coast of Western Australia.
The boat was spotted by a surveillance plane yesterday afternoon near Ashmore Island, and then intercepted by the Border Protection Command.
The Government says those on board will now be transferred to Christmas Island to be detained and processed.
Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus says the nationalities of the people on board are not yet known.
"There has been five vessels in the last two months, four coming from Indonesia and one coming we suspect, though the intelligence is still being analysed, directly from Sri Lanka," he said.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans says the nationality of those on board is yet to be determined.
He says the Government is committed to to border protection.
"We continue with those efforts as vigorously as we can, throwing all the resources we can at preventing it," he said.
"But it is true to say that people smugglers change their tactics in response to disruption and prevention activities."
Editor's note: The ABC originally reported that the boat was of Sri Lankan origin, however the nationalities of the passengers on board are not yet known.
Posted Wed Dec 3, 2008 2:51pm AEDT Updated 11 hours 19 minutes ago
Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus says the boat is believed to have travelled from Sri Lanka. (ABC News: Damien Larkins)
The Federal Government has confirmed that a boat carrying 35 passengers and five crew has been intercepted off the coast of Western Australia.
The boat was spotted by a surveillance plane yesterday afternoon near Ashmore Island, and then intercepted by the Border Protection Command.
The Government says those on board will now be transferred to Christmas Island to be detained and processed.
Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus says the nationalities of the people on board are not yet known.
"There has been five vessels in the last two months, four coming from Indonesia and one coming we suspect, though the intelligence is still being analysed, directly from Sri Lanka," he said.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans says the nationality of those on board is yet to be determined.
He says the Government is committed to to border protection.
"We continue with those efforts as vigorously as we can, throwing all the resources we can at preventing it," he said.
"But it is true to say that people smugglers change their tactics in response to disruption and prevention activities."
Editor's note: The ABC originally reported that the boat was of Sri Lankan origin, however the nationalities of the passengers on board are not yet known.
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