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CNN Live At Daybreak

Transfer of Asylum-Seekers in Progress

Aired September 03, 2001 - 07:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
VINCE CELLINI, CNN ANCHOR: Well, right now let's get more on the over 400 people seeking asylum off Australia. All morning the Australian Navy has been moving people off that Norwegian freighter ship onto a Navy vessel.

CNN's Tom Mintier is on Australia's nearby Christmas Island, where it is 11 hours ahead of Eastern time -- Tom, good morning. Or good evening.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Vince. It's evening here and it's been raining for the last hour or so.

The transfer operation has been going on for about three hours now. They've moved possibly nearly half of those more than 400 would be asylum seekers from that Norwegian cargo vessel going to an Australian troop ship and then a long voyage of at least five to six days to Papua New Guinea, where they will then get on airplanes and go to the island state of Nauru and go to New Zealand for processing.

Then another voyage to some other destination, which will be the final destination for them where they're going to be granted asylum. But it's not going to be here on Christmas Island. They're not going to step foot on Christmas Island. This was something that Australian Prime Minister John Howard fought very hard for, to see that they were transferred at sea. That's happened that way. A court has ruled that if the ruling goes against the government of Australia while they're aboard that Navy ship, they will be turned around and head back into Australian waters.

But as of right now, nearly half have been transferred and it's going to be what was thought to be an all day operation. It's going to be a day and night operation so they'll be lucky to get out of port before midnight tonight on their way -- Vince.

CELLINI: All right, thank you very much, Tom Mintier.

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