Australia detains 18 Indian asylum seekers
2 Oct 2013 12:22 AM IST
Australian authorities have detained 18 Indian asylum seekers, who are likely to be sent back to India in line with newly elected Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s policy to combat people smuggling.
The Indians were among 128 asylum seekers, travelling in three boats, intercepted last week and sent for offshore processing, the Australian Associated Press reported on Monday.
‘The first vessel was found on Tuesday carrying 18 people from India, who are being interviewed in Darwin. The group is expected to be returned to India,’ Operation Sovereign Borders Acting Commander Air Marshall Mark Binskin was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, authorities on Monday intercepted a vessel carrying 80 asylum seekers, amid Abbott’s visit to Indonesia that is likely to be dominated by talks on immigration issues.
Abbott’s visit comes three days after a boat packed with asylum seekers and bound for Australia sunk in Indonesian waters, killing 32 and leaving dozens more missing.
Indonesia is often used as a transit point by asylum seekers desperate to reach Australia’s Christmas Island in hopes of starting a better life. Thousands board rickety fishing boats every year to make the often deadly journey, which typically crosses about 340 kilometres of open sea.
Abbott is under pressure at home to stem the flood of asylum-seekers as he heads to Indonesia for talks with president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The Indians were among 128 asylum seekers, travelling in three boats, intercepted last week and sent for offshore processing, the Australian Associated Press reported on Monday.
‘The first vessel was found on Tuesday carrying 18 people from India, who are being interviewed in Darwin. The group is expected to be returned to India,’ Operation Sovereign Borders Acting Commander Air Marshall Mark Binskin was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, authorities on Monday intercepted a vessel carrying 80 asylum seekers, amid Abbott’s visit to Indonesia that is likely to be dominated by talks on immigration issues.
Abbott’s visit comes three days after a boat packed with asylum seekers and bound for Australia sunk in Indonesian waters, killing 32 and leaving dozens more missing.
Indonesia is often used as a transit point by asylum seekers desperate to reach Australia’s Christmas Island in hopes of starting a better life. Thousands board rickety fishing boats every year to make the often deadly journey, which typically crosses about 340 kilometres of open sea.
Abbott is under pressure at home to stem the flood of asylum-seekers as he heads to Indonesia for talks with president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
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