Three asylum seeker boats arrive in 24hrs

A third asylum-seeker boat to arrive this weekend has been intercepted by border protection authorities off Australia's northwest.

A third asylum-seeker boat to arrive this weekend has been intercepted by border protection authorities northwest of Western Australia.

ACV Hervey Bay stopped the boat, believed to be carrying 60 suspected asylum seekers, north-northwest of the Cocos Islands on Sunday afternoon.

They are to be transferred to the Cocos Islands for basic health and security checks, then moved to Christmas Island.

The arrival followed two boats intercepted off the Cocos Islands on Saturday night.