Colombo:
Sri Lankan Navy today rescued over 70 would-be illegal immigrants, including women and children, on a drifting fishing trawler bound for Australia, off the island's southwest coast.
The naval ship 'Sagara' rescued the boat's passengers after it developed engine trouble yesterday, over 200 kilometres southwest of Sri Lanka, naval spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya said.
The 17 women, 14 children and 42 men were brought to the southern port of Galle.
"We were told that there are 65 people onboard this fishing boat which got into trouble southwest of our coast," Warnakulasuriya said.
The navy said the boat was headed for Australia but drifted in the wrong direction due to engine trouble.
This was the first report of a load of boatpeople illegally leaving Sri Lanka since the new government of
Australia announced tough measures to curb asylum seekers.
The police have arrested human smugglers, including several naval men who have been organising illegal boat trips to Australia.
The boat's detection with the would-be illegal immigrants came despite an extensive media campaign by the Australian government in the Sri Lankan media.
It warns that Australia will transfer all asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea and Nauru and even genuine asylum seekers will not be settled in Australia.