Vietnamese suspected asylum seekers taken crabbing

After finding two Vietnamese men hiding on the banks of the Daintree River, two Aussies decided to take them on an adventure.

Justin Ward sharing a beer and a cigarette with a suspected asylum seeker. Picture: Supplied

A pair of Vietnamese nationals found in mangroves in Far North Queensland went crab fishing with two Cairns men before being taken to authorities investigating the first people smuggling venture reached Australia in 1400 days, one of the fisherman says.

As Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the Vietnamese boat found on Sunday was suspected of being part of a people “smuggling venture,’’ Cairns air conditioner installer Justin Ward told of finding the men on the banks of the croc-infested Daintree River.

“We picked up a couple hanging out of the mangroves there and brought them up the creek,” Mr Ward said.

“We had a bit of a chat, got to know them a little bit, took our time and went crabbing.”

He said the men did not speak English well, but “we got a few messages across” — including the fact that they would be handed over to authorities.

“We apologised — ‘This is it, this is your last chance of freedom’. We just took our time.”

He said he came across the pair near the mouth of the Daintree — not far from where a fishing vessel was found on Sunday morning.

Mr Dutton acknowledged the fact the boat reached the mainland suggested there had been some sort of failure in border protection systems.