The boat carrying Sri Lankan asylum seekers which pulled into Geraldton Harbour. Picture: Graeme Gibbons Source: The Daily Telegraph
- First vessel in five years to make to mainland undetected
- Boat intercepted within metres of mainland by locals in a dinghy
- Government says most boats head towards Cocos or Christmas Island
THE FEDERAL government will investigate how a fishing boat carrying 66 suspected asylum seekers from Sri Lanka managed to make it to the West Australian port of Geraldton without being detected by border patrol authorities.
Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said a review would be carried out into how the vessel made it to the mainland undetected, the first to do so in about five years.
Stunned locals spotted the blue and white fishing vessel floating near the shore around noon yesterday.
Despite Geraldton being one of Australia's busiest regional ports, the boat made it to within metres of the mainland and was intercepted initially by two local men in a dinghy.
Mr Clare said "99.9 per cent" of vessels from Sri Lanka headed towards Cocos or Christmas Island, where most surveillance operations were targeted.
A group of Asylum seekers who reached the Geraldton in WA will be detained and sent to Christmas Island.
By taking the much longer journey directly south, it seemed the vessel had bypassed the main area monitored by Australian patrol boats and planes.
Mr Clare said the "highly unusual" case deserved review, and he flagged changes if required.
More detail would be known once those on board were interviewed by immigration department officials at Christmas Island.
Initial advice suggested the asylum seekers were headed for New Zealand, and had spent 44 days at sea.
Mr Clare said it was his understanding their processing would be treated no differently just because they reached on the mainland.
WA Premier Colin Barnett said the arrival was shocking and unprecedented, questioning how a vessel could arrive undetected at a busy regional port in broad daylight.
Mr Clare said he understood the concerns and had contacted Mr Barnett's office.
The coalition said Australia's border control situation had taken a "ridiculous" turn.
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