07-21-2005, 08:01 PM
Dunklin becomes ninth Stuttgart resident on AGFC
Five crew members of an illegal fishing boat have arrived in Darwin after their vessel was destroyed by Australian Customs officials.
A Customs spokeswoman said a Coastwatch flight spotted the boat inside Australia's northern fishing zone last Friday.
"The wooden boat had ran aground on North West Crocodile Island and five crew members were located on the island," the spokeswoman said.
North West Crocodile Island is located about 150km north east of Darwin in the Arafura Sea
The spokeswoman said when the Custom's vessel HMAS Bendigo arrived at the island on Saturday, the fishing boat was destroyed.
"The wooden vessel was heavily infected by borers and other unidentified marine growths," she said.
The crew were taken on board HMAS Bendigo and they arrived in Darwin about 10am (CST) on Sunday.
No description has been released about the identity or origin of the crew members but the spokeswoman said they would be interviewed by Customs officials.
"We're unable to say where they are from and we don't know what their state of health is at this stage," she said.
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Five crew members of an illegal fishing boat have arrived in Darwin after their vessel was destroyed by Australian Customs officials.
A Customs spokeswoman said a Coastwatch flight spotted the boat inside Australia's northern fishing zone last Friday.
"The wooden boat had ran aground on North West Crocodile Island and five crew members were located on the island," the spokeswoman said.
North West Crocodile Island is located about 150km north east of Darwin in the Arafura Sea
The spokeswoman said when the Custom's vessel HMAS Bendigo arrived at the island on Saturday, the fishing boat was destroyed.
"The wooden vessel was heavily infected by borers and other unidentified marine growths," she said.
The crew were taken on board HMAS Bendigo and they arrived in Darwin about 10am (CST) on Sunday.
No description has been released about the identity or origin of the crew members but the spokeswoman said they would be interviewed by Customs officials.
"We're unable to say where they are from and we don't know what their state of health is at this stage," she said.
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