Tanker crew spots suspected asylum seeker boat off Australia

The boat, according to local media reports, was spotted just 70 km off the coast.

If confirmed as asylum seekers, it would be the first “illegal” vessel entry into Australia since June 2014.

Gary Kennedy, Modec’s operations manager in Australia, told Guardian Australia that the crew of the tanker noticed the small boat when it went inside the 500m exclusion zone around the oil rig.

Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton’s office refused to comment.

They were sent to Christmas Island.

Australia has vowed to stop asylum seekers reaching its shores, turning boats back to Indonesia when it can and sending those it cannot to camps in impoverished Papua New Guinea and Nauru in the South Pacific for long-term detention.

“From looking at the vessel the people seemed to be in good health and high spirits”.

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

It has also been reported that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority will fly out to assess the situation.

ABC News cited an unnamed source from the federal government as confirming that a boat was sighted off Dampier in Western Australia’s North West region, and would be intercepted.

The opposition Greens have criticized the government over its unwillingness to address the boat’s arrival in detail.

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.