Suspected asylum seeker boat reported near Australia in rare border security

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has refused to confirm reports that a suspected asylum seeker boat has been spotted off the coast of Western Australia.

A Modec spokesman said “a large number of people” appeared to be on the boat.

The sighting is the first near Australia’s shores in nearly two years, after a vessel carrying 17 Vietnamese asylum seekers arrived at a platform 200 kilometers off Dampier in July 2013, before being sent to Christmas Island.

The ABC reported floating mining supply company Modec confirmed their staff have sighted what appears to be an asylum seeker boat off Dampier. Under a new policy, they are processed in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Australia’s Department of Immigration routinely does not comment on “on water” operations, so it was not immediately possibly to verify the ABC report.

Kennedy said the tanker’s crew contacted the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which was sending a search plane to check on the boat.

Mr Kennedy said the boat, which looked like a fishing vessel, was spotted early on Monday, West Australian time.

‘The West Australian police is looking after that situation until the Commonwealth naval vessel arrives, so the situation is in order, ‘ he told reporters.

Australian Broadcasting Corp. cited an unnamed government source as saying the boat will be intercepted before it lands.

Last month, migrants headed to Australia told the United Nations the crew on their boat was paid by the Australian navy to turn back to Indonesia.