Australia detains 54 migrants

Australia intercepted and detained 54 asylum seekers arriving by boat off its north coast, its home affairs minister said on Sunday.

The 54 people, who were mainly Afghan, were to be taken to Australia's Indian Ocean outpost of Christmas Island, Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus was quoted by Australian Associated Press as saying.

Most of the people onboard were men. There were no children in the group, he said.

The boat was stopped late on Saturday near the northern city of Darwin and is the second bringing would-be asylum seekers to be stopped in Australian waters this year.

"The Australian government is committed to strong border security arrangements and is determined to deal effectively and appropriately with people smugglers," Debus said.

Under former prime minister John Howard, Australia took a tough stance on the issue of illegal asylum seekers, but current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has taken a slightly softer approach, closing a widely criticised processing facility on the Pacific island nation of Nauru.

Australia has maintained its policy of mandatory detention of boat people.