Australia refuses 200 more asylum seekers
Australia has turned away a second boatload of refugees.
The Australian Navy yesterday intercepted and boarded an Indonesian boat bound for Australia, carrying around 200 suspected illegal immigrants.
The migrants were taken off the ship last night and put on HMAS Manoora, which is carrying the 433 refugees from the Norwegian MV Tampa who were sent away by Australia last week.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the Navy had to wait for the boat to arrive in international waters before taking action.
At no stage did the boat enter Australian territorial waters, so any question of application for asylum status did not arise.
Howard’s domestic popularity has risen since he refused to let the Tampa dock in Australia last week.
Thousands of illegal migrants travel to Indonesia every year and board wooden boats for the dangerous journey to northern Australia or Christmas Island.
