Asylum seeker dies in Western Australian detention centre

An asylum seeker has died at an immigration detention centre in Western Australia.

The Department of Immigration says the male detainee died at the Yongah Hill detention centre yesterday.

There was no indication of suspicious circumstances, it said in a statement.

There was also no immediate indication the man had taken his own life, the department said.

Advocacy group Refugee Action Coalition said the man may have died of a heart attack.

He had been sick a number of days and had asked for medical assistance, spokesman Ian Rintoul said.