Navy steps in with WA asylum-seeker boat

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.

The ABC cited a source within the federal government confirming the sighting of the boat near Dampier, about 1,500 km (930 miles) north of Perth.

A spokesperson for Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton said it does not comment on operational matters.

Ms Martin-Iverson said the passengers could be transported to Manus Island or Nauru but the network’s key concern was the use of life rafts to send the asylum seekers away from Australian shores.

Water police were called in to help locate it, and the ABC understands an Australian Navy boat followed later.

“We do not discuss things in ways which would give comfort to the people smugglers”, he told reporters today.

But Ms Flood denied the arrival of a suspected asylum seeker boat off the West Australian coast this week was a result of the protected action.

Abbott would not reveal anything about the fate of the vessel or those on board, and repeated his determination to stop people coming to Australia “illegally by boat”.

As Fairfax Media reported, serious allegations of violence and sexual abuse of asylum seekers were aired at a Senate inquiry into the Nauru detention facility on Monday.

Referring to 46 Vietnamese asylum seekers who were intercepted and returned to Vietnam in April, Rintoul said there are reports that the repatriated adults were detained and questioned.

“We know from past actions, the government will likely attempt to return the asylum-seekers to Vietnam”, said spokesman Ian Rintoul.

“Discussions are happening now”, Mr Rintoul told AAP.

Comment has been sought from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

“I’m very concerned about the individuals on that vessel particularly if they are fleeing persecution”, said Newhouse, who in 2010 represented eight Tamil asylum seekers.

“Shrouding the matter in secrecy by claiming this is an “on water matter” is unacceptable. It is a complete violation of their rights and worldwide law”.