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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/26/asylum-seekers-missing-in-crocodile-infested-daintree-rainforest-after-boat-sinks
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| Dozens of migrants missing in crocodile-infested Daintree rainforest after boat sinks | Dozens of migrants missing in crocodile-infested Daintree rainforest after boat sinks |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Up to 30 irregular migrants are believed to be in hiding inside Queensland’s crocodile-infested Daintree rainforest, after their boat – believed to be a fishing vessel – foundered near the mouth of the Daintree River. | Up to 30 irregular migrants are believed to be in hiding inside Queensland’s crocodile-infested Daintree rainforest, after their boat – believed to be a fishing vessel – foundered near the mouth of the Daintree River. |
| Police have confirmed that a search is under way to find the migrants, who waded through waters to make landfall after their fishing junk ran aground just offshore on Sunday morning. | Police have confirmed that a search is under way to find the migrants, who waded through waters to make landfall after their fishing junk ran aground just offshore on Sunday morning. |
| Eleven men, all understood to be Vietnamese, have been detained, but up to 30 more are still being sought. | Eleven men, all understood to be Vietnamese, have been detained, but up to 30 more are still being sought. |
| Some are believed to be hiding in mangroves, which are infested with deadly salt-water crocodiles. | Some are believed to be hiding in mangroves, which are infested with deadly salt-water crocodiles. |
| It is not known whether any of the migrants have sought protection from Australian authorities, or whether they are fishermen who ran into difficulties. | It is not known whether any of the migrants have sought protection from Australian authorities, or whether they are fishermen who ran into difficulties. |
| The operator of Daintree Fishing and Photography Tours, Dave Patterson, said he was leaving with a tour group around 8.30am when he noticed an “odd-looking wooden boat that looked like a Vietnamese-Chinese-Indonesian fishing boat” about 2km in the distance, off Cape Kimberley near the mouth of the Daintree River. | The operator of Daintree Fishing and Photography Tours, Dave Patterson, said he was leaving with a tour group around 8.30am when he noticed an “odd-looking wooden boat that looked like a Vietnamese-Chinese-Indonesian fishing boat” about 2km in the distance, off Cape Kimberley near the mouth of the Daintree River. |
| “I just thought it was a gillnetting boat,” Patterson told Guardian Australia. | “I just thought it was a gillnetting boat,” Patterson told Guardian Australia. |
| “I heard later on that [other fishermen and tour operators] went up to it and there was no one aboard and it was just adrift. | “I heard later on that [other fishermen and tour operators] went up to it and there was no one aboard and it was just adrift. |
| “There were people on it that just bailed out of the boat,” he said, adding: “We don’t see this kind of stuff too often, or ever.” | “There were people on it that just bailed out of the boat,” he said, adding: “We don’t see this kind of stuff too often, or ever.” |
| Boats carrying asylum seekers from Vietnam reach Australian waters – or near to – with semi-regularity, but vessels are usually intercepted before they make landfall. Asylum claims are often made at sea, and people are returned to Vietnam without ever reaching Australia. | Boats carrying asylum seekers from Vietnam reach Australian waters – or near to – with semi-regularity, but vessels are usually intercepted before they make landfall. Asylum claims are often made at sea, and people are returned to Vietnam without ever reaching Australia. |
| 'Begging to die': succession of critically ill children moved off Nauru | 'Begging to die': succession of critically ill children moved off Nauru |
| The last asylum seekers to reach Australia by boat were six Chinese nationals who landed in Saibai island in north Queensland, travelling from Papua New Guinea, in August last year. | The last asylum seekers to reach Australia by boat were six Chinese nationals who landed in Saibai island in north Queensland, travelling from Papua New Guinea, in August last year. |
| The Australian Border Force confirmed it was responding to what it believed was an “illegal fishing vessel in the vicinity of the Daintree River”. | The Australian Border Force confirmed it was responding to what it believed was an “illegal fishing vessel in the vicinity of the Daintree River”. |
| “The ABF now has a contingent of officers on site and is grateful for the support provided by Queensland police service,” a spokesman said. | “The ABF now has a contingent of officers on site and is grateful for the support provided by Queensland police service,” a spokesman said. |
| “The first priority is to confirm the safety and welfare of the people on the fishing vessel.” | “The first priority is to confirm the safety and welfare of the people on the fishing vessel.” |
| The Douglas Shire Council mayor, Julia Leu, who lives on the edge of the Daintree national park, said the missing migrants were likely hiding in the mangroves as there was a lot of traffic on the locals roads and the “word is out” about their arrival. | The Douglas Shire Council mayor, Julia Leu, who lives on the edge of the Daintree national park, said the missing migrants were likely hiding in the mangroves as there was a lot of traffic on the locals roads and the “word is out” about their arrival. |
| Without knowledge of the area, the migrants faced significant dangers from salt-water crocodiles, Leu warned. | Without knowledge of the area, the migrants faced significant dangers from salt-water crocodiles, Leu warned. |
| “I’m concerned about anyone who is unfamiliar with the rainforest. Anyone who finds themselves in crocodile habitat needs to exercise extreme common sense – especially in the Daintree,” she said. | “I’m concerned about anyone who is unfamiliar with the rainforest. Anyone who finds themselves in crocodile habitat needs to exercise extreme common sense – especially in the Daintree,” she said. |
| “Certainly it would not be pleasant trying to make your way through rainforest or mangroves.” | “Certainly it would not be pleasant trying to make your way through rainforest or mangroves.” |
| Queensland | Queensland |
| Australian immigration and asylum | Australian immigration and asylum |
| Refugees | Refugees |
| Migration | Migration |
| news | news |
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