Asylum demands breaking navy fleet as patrol boats crack up

BY: CAMERON STEWART From: The Australian August 10, 2012 12:00AM

AUSTRALIA'S navy patrol boats are literally cracking up under the strain of intercepting the surge in asylum-seeker vessels, with one boat now banned from operations and structural cracks discovered in at least two others.

Defence has ordered an urgent investigation into its overworked 14-boat fleet amid concerns that the problem could threaten the navy's long-term ability to patrol Australia's northern approaches.