A boat carrying 28 asylum seekers, believed to be from Sri Lanka, arrived at Cocos Islands yesterday afternoon
9 July 2012: Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said the suspected irregular entry vessel had been intercepted.
The passengers will be transferred to Christmas Island for initial security, health and identity checks, he said.
Authorities have reportedly been working to upgrade quarantine facilities at the remote Cocos Islands amidst fears people smugglers from Sri Lanka and southern India have chosen the island group as a new frontier in the asylum-seeker trade.
The Cocos Islands are almost half-way between Perth and Sri Lanka – about 3000km each way – and are an Australian territory comprised of 27 mostly uninhabited islands.
A boatload of 40 Sri Lankan asylum seekers arrived at the Cocos Islands late last month ate putting the resources of the main island and its 500 inhabitants under pressure.
Last month two boats capsized en route to Australia with up to 100 people feared drowned.
Courtesy The West Australian