Suspected refugees intercepted

Australia’s navy detained 20 suspected asylum seekers found on a boat in the Indian Ocean, officials said today.

The vessel was intercepted on Saturday about 24 miles from Ashmore Island off the north-western coast, Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus said in a statement. The group was taken to Christmas Island, a remote Australian territory in the Indian Ocean where the government runs an immigration detention camp for health, security and identity checks, Mr Debus said.