Canadians board Tamil asylum boat

Canadian officials have boarded a cargo ship thought to be carrying about 500 Tamil migrants from Sri Lanka.

The authorities intercepted the MV Sun Sea off British Columbia. They say the migrants will now be vetted amid fears that some are Tamil Tiger rebels - banned by Canada as a terrorist group.

The ship reportedly crossed the Pacific after Australia turned it away.

The Tamil Tigers were routed last year by the government, which has been widely accused of rights abuses.

Sri Lanka's high commissioner to Canada, Chitranganee Wagiswara, has urged Canada to refuse their asylum claims.

She says the ship is part of a people-trafficking operation linked to the Tamil Tigers.

BBC