Australian Navy intercepted 119 asylum seekers
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Xinhua, January 8, 2012
A boat carrying 119 asylum seekers and two crews have been intercepted Australian Navy off the West Australian coast, Australian Immigration Department confirmed on Saturday.
HMAS Maryborough, operating under the control of Border Protection, intercepted the boat about 18.5 nautical miles north of Christmas Island of Australia.
It was believed that 119 passengers and two crews were on board. Passengers will be transferred to Christmas Island, where they will undergo initial security, health and identity.
Opposition border protection spokesman Michael Keenan said the third arrival in a week was evidence the people smuggler trade was thriving in 2012, adding on the arrival of three asylum seeker boats in the first week of the New Year continues to demonstrate Labor's failed policy on border protection. "Labor must show some resolve, end their arms wide open policy and stop encouraging people smugglers by taking away the product they have to sell," Keenan said in a statement. "(Prime Minister) Julia Gillard and Labor should have no higher priority this year than to finally tackle the border protection crisis they have created. "In what will soon be 15,000 unauthorized arrivals since Labor unwound the coalition's proven policies and created this problem - it is time the prime minister adopts the solution that we know works and that we've held for a decade."
Recently, the government has offered to reopen the Howard government-era detention center on Nauru in exchange for coalition support for its controversial Malaysian people swap deal but the talks have so far proven fruitless.
Moreover, the federal government released a report showing that overcrowding problem leads to recent rips at asylum seekers detention center, made 48 recommendations to improve security at overcrowded detention center earlier on December of 2011.
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