On Tony 'stop the boats' Abbott's watch asylum seekers are still arriving by sea

18 September 2013 – Abbott Government sworn in

22 September - HMAS Maitland and another vessel escorts SIEV boat into Christmas Island harbour – the Cahaya Baru contains 31 passengers and 2 crew.

24 September – SIEV boat containing 7 asylum seekers arrives on Australia’s Boigu Island in the Torres Strait 

25 September - SIEV boat containing 19 people arrives at Darwin Harbour sometime during the night of the 24^th or early hours of the morning of the 25^th.

26 September - SIEV boat arrives Christmas Island Harbour with an estimated 70 passengers including children. HMAS Ballarat takes part in the rescue of another 44 asylum seekers in Indonesian waters with these people transferred to an Indonesian rescue vessel for return to Indah Kiat port in Java.

27 September – boat heading towards Australia and estimated to contain up to 125 asylum seekers sinks off southern coast of Java. At least 20 bodies, mostly children under 15 years, washed ashore so far. Australian Customs Vessel ACV Triton rescues 31 asylum seekers from another boat and is thought to be still at sea off Timor.

30 September - 2 RAN patrol boats enter Christmas Island harbour with an estimated 79 asylum seekers (men, women and children) on board, thought to have been picked up from a boat which was either sinking or was otherwise considered unseaworthy.
10 October 2013 SIEV boat with 41 asylum seekers on board found off Cocos (Keeling) Island and, another SIEV boat containing 53 people was recorded as arriving in the same week.

11 October 2013 SIEV boat carrying 79 people arrived at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands from Sri Lanka.
12 October 2013 two SIEV boats arrive carrying a total of 132 people.
17 October 2013 at approximately 8am HMAS Warramunga put into Christmas Island and disembarked 79 asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa. Including one 8 year-old boy, eight to ten women and two individuals requiring wheelchairs.
20 October 2013 SIEV boat arrives with 126 people on board.
21 October 2013 SIEV boat arrives with 40 people on board.
7 November 2013  HMAS Ballarat and ACV Ocean Protector respond to a distress call from a SIEV boat in international waters, with an estimated 62 people on board and these people are transferred to the customs vessel . In transit to Christmas Island.
10-11 November 2013 two SIEV boats intercepted with unknown number of people on board. Expected to disembark at Christmas Island.*
11 November 2013 SIEV boat arrives in Darwin. Unknown number of people on board.*
17 November 2013 Australian customs vessel disembarks 35 asylum seekers (believed to have begun their journeys in Afghanistan & Pakistan) at Ethel Beach, Christmas Island. Unknown number of crew - possibly 5 individuals. SIEV boat began to sink on 15 November as it was being towed.
27 November 2013 SIEV boat arrives in Australian territory - 9 asylum seekers and 2 crew are taken into custody by Immigration officials.
1 December 2013 SIEV boat intercepted off Christmas Island, with approximately 30 passengers and unknown number of crew on board.
2 December 2013 SIEV boat comes ashore Dolly Beach, Christmas Island with 27 people on board. Remains undetected until 5 December.
3 December 2013 SIEV boat intercepted and around 29 passengers and crew taken to Christmas Island
4-5 December 2013 SEIV boat carrying about 60 people intercepted, with passengers and crew transferred at sea to an Australian border protection vessel.
6 December 2013 SEIV boat intercepted and approximately 73 passengers and crew believed to have been taken to Christmas Island.
13 December 2013 3 persons on an intercepted SIEV boat transferred to custody of Australian immigration officials
14 December 2013 HMAS Stuart arrives Christmas Island before 9am local time and disembarks 69 asylum seekers, including children.
19 December 2013 SIEV boat carrying 98 asylum seekers intercepted and transferred to custody Australian immigration officials.##
1 January 2014 SEIV boat with at least 38 people on board intercepted by naval vessels about eight nautical miles off Cape Van Diemen, the northernmost tip of Melville Island.

* Between 10-11 November a total of 171 passengers and crew were taken into detention at Christmas Island and/or Blaydin in Darwin. Those onboard the SIEV boat which entered Darwin waters are thought to contain Somali asylum seekers including children.

UPDATE: 
               Estimated total number of boat passengers and crew as of 1.1.14: 1,469+

               Estimated total number of boats as of 1.1.14: 28 in 105 days    

# Figures derived from eyewitness accounts, as well as international and national media reports.

## Australian Government reports on how many SIEV boats and asylum seekers reached Australia are always predicated on those same boat passengers and crew being transferred into the custody of Australian immigration officials. Not all passengers and crews on SIEV boats are transferred. From this date all SIEV boats are being turned back/towed back into or close to Indonesian waters. The Australian Government does not publish any information on tow/turn backs.

NOTE

Media reports in January 2014 indicate that the Abbott Government has used naval ships and/or customs vessels to tow back/push back up to 5 asylum seeker boats between mid December 2013 and early January 2014.

ABC News 11 January 2014:

The UN refugee agency says it is awaiting an explanation from the Australian Government over reports asylum seeker boats have been forcibly returned to Indonesia.

Earlier this week, Indonesian police told the ABC that a second boat carrying asylum seekers had been forced back to Indonesian waters by the Australian Navy.

The first boat was found shortly before Christmas on the island of Rote, in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara region.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is warning such actions may place Australia in breach of its obligations under international law.

"UNHCR is seeking details from the Australian parties about these recent reports," said spokesman Babar Baloch.

The agency is also investigating reports of plans to provide lifeboats for asylum seekers for future push-backs.

"For the UNHCR it's a very concerning policy or practice if it involves pushing asylum seeker boats back out to sea without proper consideration of individuals who need international protection," said Mr Baloch.

"Any such approach would raise significant issues and potentially could place Australia in breach of its obligations under the Refugee Convention and international law.

"If people who are in need for international protection seek a country's safety, then they must be allowed to go through a process which helps to determine if these people are in need."