Asylum boat gets 53km from Broome

A suspected asylum seeker boat, with 72 people on board, has been intercepted northwest of Broome. Source: AAP

A SUSPECTED asylum seeker boat has been intercepted less than 53 kilometres from Broome in Western Australia, a week after another boat managed to reach Geraldton to the south.

Customs and Border Protection said the vessel was detected by one of its aircraft and then intercepted by the HMAS Ararat on Sunday about 28.5 nautical miles northwest of Broome in the Kimberley region.

A spokeswoman said 72 people were on board.

Several passengers have been taken to Broome for medical treatment.

Arrangements are now being made to transfer the passengers to Christmas Island for health, identity and security checks.

Last week, a boat with 66 Sri Lankan asylum seekers managed to reach Geraldton port in the Mid West region after spending weeks travelling more than 5000km.

Another boat arrived near Darwin last week, with 75 people on board.

Under existing legislation, asylum seekers who reach the mainland can avoid being sent to processing centres on Nauru or Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Labor wants to change this and the legislation is currently before the Senate.

If it succeeds, mainland Australia will join the Ashmore Islands, Cartier Island, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in being excised from the migration zone.

Asylum seekers who land outside the zone cannot make visa applications and must be processed offshore.

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