Patrol Boats Busy With
Illegal Fisherman
May 3, 1999
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WOLLONGONG'S RHIB returns
after its
ship's company set fire to the Indonesian Type 3 fishing boat. |
HMAS ARUNTA, (CMDR Greg Yorke) lived up to that credo when she detected and intercepted an Indonesian Type 3 fishing boat near the Wessell Island group east of Darwin; before ordering it to quit Australian-controlled waters.
ARUNTA's discovery came soon after the Prime Minister announced an expanded inquiry into coastal surveillance resources and procedures in Australia where Defence, Customs, Coastwatch and Immigration are expected to contribute.
A fly over by ARUNTA's helicopter had revealed nine people on board the 13-metre vessel with fresh fish on deck.
In other similar incidents HMAS WOLLONGONG (LCDR H. Pearce) was authorised to apprehend and take to Broome another Indonesian fishing boat whose crew admitted taking three Bangladesh nationals to Australia from Magniti in Indonesia.
HMAS GEELONG (LCDR Matt Cawsey) was asked to keep watch on an Indonesian fishing boat seen by a Coastwatch aircraft near Ashmore Reef north of Broome with 15 people on board who had been identified as potential illegal immigrants.
Earlier, craft with suspected illegal immigrants had been found near Browse Island by a Customs launch ROEBUCK BAY - WOLLONGONG was called to assist.
The occupants of the fishing boat were transferred because the craft was deemed unseaworthy - it was decided to sink the vessel to prevent it becoming a shipping hazard.
The occupants were taken to the Port Hedland's immigration detention centre to join the 60 from Coffs Harbour and 57 rounded by HMAS IPSWICH north of Australia.
They also joined eight men left on waterless West Islet of Ashmore Reef who were saved in a combined operation involving Coastwatch, a helicopter carrying water and HMAS GAWLER.
GEELONG also went to a point north of Broome to arrest a Type 2 and take it to Broome while HMAS TOWNSVILLE (LCDR P Spedding) headed to near Ashmore Reef to check on three Type 2 fishing craft.
By Graham Davis