How Vietnamese fisherman successfully breached Australian shores

Former Australian Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg says the Vietnamese fishermen caught near Cairns were seizing an opportunity to claim asylum.

It was revealed Sunday that 17 people were found on an illegal fishing boat off the waters of Cape Kimberley – the first successful breaching of Australian borders in four years.

“We have in Australia received asylum seekers from Vietnam on a semi-regular basis of the last number of years,” Mr Quaedvlieg (above) told Neil Mitchell.

He said a combination of scarce fishing stocks in Vietnam and continued hostilities from the South-China Sea is driving them further to the Australian coast.

“It is highly likely that they have seen an opportunity here as a result of their fishing expeditions, they realise how close they are to the Australian coast and been able to slip in,” he said.

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Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said yesterday the suspected asylum seekers would be deported back to Vietnam.