Border Force swoops on five men who arrived by boat in Australia’s Northern Territory

Five people who arrived by boat in the Northern Territory are expected to be sent to offshore processing after a Top End helicopter operator posted video of them online.

Australian Border Force and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke have refused to confirm the discovery of the men or where they are now, saying they do not comment on operational matters.

A brief video clip posted by North Australian Helicopters very late on Thursday night shows five men on a beach.

“SOS - Boat people that have been washed up on the northern coast for quite a while,” the caption said.

“Couldn’t understand a word of English, but maybe they hit Australian shores hoping to vote!!! How many more are there???”

This masthead has been told the pilot who found the men alerted ABF, who collected them about three hours later.

An ABF spokesperson said the agency “does not comment on or confirm operational matters”.

Mr Burke also said in a statement that the government did not confirm or comment on operational matters.

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

“When someone arrives without a visa they are detained and then deported.”

Shadow minister James Paterson said it was deeply concerning that anyone had been able to reach the Australian mainland undetected, whether people smugglers or illegal fishers.

“Once again, we have seen the Albanese government relying on private businesses alerting the government to serious security concerns, like when a Virgin Australia pilot was the first to alert the government to a PLA-N live fire exercise in the Tasman Sea,” he said.

“Time and time again, we have seen Labor fail to keep Australia safe. Only a Dutton Coalition government will restore Operation Sovereign Borders and stop the boats.”

Over the past year, Operations Sovereign Borders has intercepted 16 people smuggling ventures — at least one in every month except January — involving between 227 and 245 people.

Of these, 154 people were sent back to the countries they came from and the rest were sent to Nauru for offshore processing.

A separate joint operation between the ABF, Navy and Australian Fisheries Management Authority has targeted the large numbers of illegal fishing boats in Australian waters off the Kimberley and NT.

This has led to the prosecution of 140 people since the middle of last year and the destruction of their boats and hauls.

However, the massive increase in illegal fishing ventures since the pandemic has increased concerns that the fishers might also be moonlighting as people smugglers.