More than 40 asylum seekers roam remote Western Australia after single boat runs ashore

More details are coming to light about how more than 40 asylum seekers found roaming across remote Western Australia came to the country.

More than 40 asylum seekers have been found roaming in remote Western Australia as more details come to light about the latest breach in border security.

NCA NewsWire understands a single boat carrying the asylum seekers hit the shores of northwestern WA on Friday, with a large group of 30 and a smaller group of 13 splitting off to wander the remote coastline looking for shelter.

Locals discovered the asylum seekers, who are believed to come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, at Beagle Bay, about 100km north of Broome, and at Pender Bay, about 51km north of Beagle Bay.

NCA NewsWire understands there was not a second boat carrying asylum seekers and the men will be processed at the same time.

It is not clear why the men split up and wandered apart after hitting the shore.

It is also understood the men have now been relocated to Nauru, where Australia runs an offshore immigration detention centre.

The Australian Border Force confirmed on Friday it was undertaking an operation in northern Western Australia following reports more than 20 people had arrived by boat.

The asylum seekers entered Australia undetected near Beagle Bay in WA. Picture: Google Maps

“As this operation is ongoing, no further information will be provided,” the ABF said in a statement on Friday.

“Australia’s tough border protection policies means no one who travels unauthorised by boat will ever be allowed to settle permanently in Australia.

“The only way to travel to Australia is legally, with an Australian visa.”

The border violation has ignited political tensions with the Opposition moving quickly to hammer the government.

Nationals Leader David Littleproud on Sunday said the government’s alleged failure to anticipate and plan for the High Court striking down indefinite detention and the sudden release of 149 detainees from had incentivised the law-breaking.

“The damage is already done,” he told Weekend Today.

“You don’t get on a boat unless you’ve got something to sell these people,” Mr Littleproud told Weekend Today.

Leader of the National Party David Littleproud said the “damage is done”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“And they’ve been telling them that Australia’s borders are porous and then when you get here, you’re going to get out.

“We let out 149 detainees, despite the warnings as far back as June by the High Court.

“The minister (Immigration Minister Andrew Giles) was given briefings but didn’t bother to turn up to them to about doing pre-emptive measures to keep them in detention. These people smugglers have found a product.

“The damage was done and you don’t get on those boats, you don’t sell that product unless you can convince people when you get here, it’s going to be okay.”

On Friday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters he had no information about the discovery of the first group of men.

“I’ve been travelling in the car, so I haven’t been advised about that,” he said.

“But our policies are clear, which is that boats that arrive in that fashion … we have policies in place that ensure they are dealt with.”

Originally published as More than 40 asylum seekers roam remote Western Australia after single boat runs ashore