Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The Australian Navy intercepted a boat carrying 29 suspected asylum seekers off the northwestern coast, the third such vessel in three days as the government seeks an accord with Indonesia to cut people smuggling.

The boat, with four crew members on board, was stopped today as it approached Ashmore Island, about 840 kilometers (522 miles) west of Darwin, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor said in an e-mailed statement.

The group will be transferred to an immigration detention center on Christmas Island for security, identity and health checks, O’Connor said.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s government is under pressure to cut the number of refugees arriving by boat in Australian waters and is accused by opposition lawmakers of weakening border controls. The Christmas Island center is nearing capacity, forcing the government to consider expanding the A$400 million ($371 million) site.

Australia is pressing the government in Jakarta to combat the transit of asylum seekers through Indonesia’s archipelago of more than 17,000 islands.

Rudd met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this week in Jakarta to discuss the issue and Indonesian officials say diplomats aim to draft an agreement on tackling people smuggling before the two leaders meet in Singapore next month at the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ed Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 22, 2009 23:33 EDT