Australia stops boat of suspected asylum seekers

A navy ship intercepted a boat carrying suspected asylum seekers off Australia's northwest coast - the fourth such incident in just over a week.

A navy patrol vessel intercepted the boat Tuesday night about 265 miles (420 kilometers) north of Broome in Western Australia state, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said in a statement. The boat appeared to be carrying 58 passengers and four crew, O'Connor said. Their nationalities were not immediately known.

Those on board were being transported to an Australian immigration detention camp on Christmas Island, an Australian territory 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers) northwest of the mainland, just south of Indonesia.

Three other boats carrying suspected asylum seekers have been intercepted off Australia's northwest coast since Sept. 7.

A recent rise in boat arrivals has stoked a political debate over immigration. Last year, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd relaxed the mandatory detention policy for asylum seekers and allowed full residency visas for those accepted as refugees, rather than the temporary visas granted by the previous government.

Australia has long been a destination for people from poor, often war-ravaged countries hoping to start a new life. Most of the asylum seekers have come from Afghanistan, Iran and Sri Lanka.

"Situations around the world mean that large numbers of displaced persons are looking for settlement in wealthy, developed nations like Australia and can be targeted by, and fall prey to, people smugglers," O'Connor said in a statement. "The Australian Government remains vigilant and committed to protecting Australia's borders."