Boat Arrival - Saturday, 10 April 1999
Media Release - DPS 4/99
A 40 metre vessel, apparently carrying a number of unauthorised arrivals, has gone aground off Macksville, NSW, earlier today.
Initial information is that the people are of Asian appearance, and the boat has Chinese markings.
Officials from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Australian Customs Service and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service are on their way to the scene.
NSW Police have moved to contain the site and are detaining people as they are located. Until all the people have been located, it is not possible to confirm the number of people on the boat.
If the people are found to be unauthorised arrivals, they will be flown to the Port Hedland Immigration Reception and Processing Centre as soon as transport can be arranged. They will then be interviewed to ascertain who they are, where they came from and what their intentions were in coming to Australia.
10 April 1999