Asylum seeker boat intercepted near Christmas Island

Twenty Sri Lankan asylum seekers have been flown back to their home country after their boat was intercepted en route to Australia, it has been reported.

The vessel, which was carrying at least one baby, was spotted last week in the Indian Ocean heading for the northwest coast, The Australian reports.

The asylum seekers were detained for a few days on Christmas Island before being flown to Colombo on a government charter jet yesterday after their asylum claims were rejected.

The boat had left Sri Lanka in the first week of May, not long after the deadly Easter bombing attacks on hotels and churches.

So far 186 asylum seekers have been sent back to Sri Lanka since the Coalition won government in 2013, according to The Australian.