11-05-2013 –
Immigration authorities and police are searching for a group of Vietnamese men who escaped from an immigration detention centre in Darwin overnight.
A group of 18 men is believed to have escaped from the centre sometime after 10.30pm, of whom 13 have already been found and returned to the facility.
The men, all of whom had been deemed low-risk detainees, have recently entered immigration detention as irregular maritime arrivals after their vessels were intercepted at sea.
“The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has sought an urgent explanation from its service provider Serco about how this incident has occurred,” a departmental spokesman said today.
“The department is also commissioning a full independent review into the escapes.
“We want to know how this occurred, and importantly what steps need to be taken to avoid a repeat.”
The recaptured men were all located in Darwin within hours of their escape, and community reports of sightings of the men are assisting police and immigration officials track them down.
“None of the men are considered dangerous, and all of them are dressed in civilian clothes,” the spokesman said.
“However they would be unlikely to have any money, identification or mobile phones so their immediate movements would be restricted to the Darwin area.”
Anyone with information about the men should contact NT Police immediately on 131 444.
