Australia has deported 41 Sri Lankans who were arrested while attempting to enter Australia illegally on a multi-day trawler.

They were held on Christmas Island before being sent back to Sri Lanka on a special flight, which landed at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake this morning (09).The majority of this group are residents of Jaffna and Walachchena, reports say.

They were accompanied by several security officers as well before handing them over to officials of the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

The group is to be handed over to CID officials at the BIA and are to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate Court later.