Foreigners reportedly found on northern beach, Australian Border Force decline to comment

Footage purporting to show a group of ‘boat people’ stranded on a remote beach has emerged, with authorities refusing to explain the circumstances around the shock find.

North Australian Helicopters claim a group of 'boat people' were washed up on a northern Australian beach in April 2025 and had been there for a 'quite a while'.

Footage purporting to show a group of ‘boat people’ stranded on a remote beach has emerged, with authorities yet to explain the circumstances around the situation.

This week, a video posted by North Australian Helicopters showed a group of five men next to the words ‘SOS’ scrawled into the sand.

The company claimed the group were foreigners.

“Boat people that have been washed up on the northern coast for quite a while - kissed King Crab’s feet when he landed,” the post read.

“Couldn’t understand a word of English, but maybe they hit Australian shores hoping to vote!

“How many more are there?”

It is understood the commercial pilot alerted authorities, who collected them a few hours later.

The origins of the men also remains unclear.

An Australian Border Force spokesman refused to comment on the matter.

“The Australian Border Force does not comment on or confirm operational matters,” they said.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke maintains the border is secure. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke maintained the Australian border was secure.

“There has never been a successful people smuggling venture under our government, and that remains true,” he told this publication.

“When someone tries to arrive without a visa they are detained and then deported.”

Chinese nationals found on Croker Island in November.

The footage surfaces less than six months after four Chinese asylum seekers were dumped on Croker Island and forced to stomp through the bush until they were found by local rangers.

The shock find was followed by another surprise, when a further nine Chinese nationals were found stumbling through dark between Cobourg Peninsula and South Goulburn.

Frustration around Australia’s northern border had already been a hot topic, with Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan at the time claiming there had been a “lack of enforcement” by federal agencies.

A group of illegal fishermen were spotted near Maningrida, Northern Territory, by locals in 2024.

Locals across the Top End also reported their findings, with footage and imagery showing groups of foreigners illegally fishing off the Top End coastline and even strolling ashore.

The criticism led to authorities launching Operation Lunar in December – a campaign dedicated at protecting the Territory’s coastline from illegal fishing.

Originally published as Foreigners reportedly found on northern beach, Australian Border Force decline to comment