Sri Lankan migrants intercepted off Indonesia

Fifty-five Sri Lankan migrants were intercepted yesterday off the coast of Western Indonesia as they tried to reach Australia to look for work, police said.

Fishermen found the migrants, men aged from 25 to 30, aboard a damaged wooden boat two kilometres from the coast of Aceh Province, Sumatra Island, at about 6:00 am local time, police said.

"They were actually trying to reach Australia to find jobs," senior police officer Ari Subijanto said.

He said the Sri Lankans had informed police one of their fellow migrants had gone missing during the journey.

Another boat full of Sri Lankans was still at sea and heading to Australia.

The group left Sri Lanka on May 2 and stopped in Malaysia on May 8. AFP