Pakistani sailor who jumped off a livestock ship and snuck into Australia in a huge Covid quarantine breach hands himself into police after an urgent state-wide search overnight
- A major Covid quarantine breach saw a Pakistani sailor sneak into Australia
- The man and his crew were ordered to stay aboard their cargo ship in Townsville
- But the man leaped off the ship and into a white van before disappearing
- His fellow crew members are now trying to claim urgent asylum in Australia
A Pakistani sailor who jumped off a livestock ship and snuck into Australia has handed himself into police following a frantic overnight manhunt.
The a Pakistani national escaped quarantine by jumping off a ship moored in North Queensland.
The crew member was on livestock ship Polaris 3 when he breached international quarantine rules by jumping overboard while the vessel was docked in Townsville on Saturday night.
It’s understood the the border jumper made it to land and left the port in a white van.
He is right now in custody and he will be handed over to Australian Border Force officers.
The ship’s remaining crew have since asked to be left off and want to apply for asylum.
Livestock ship Polaris 3 (pictured) remains docked at Townsville after a crew member fled the ship and made it to land on Saturday night
The Pakistani crew member remains on the run 24 hours after he jumped overboard.
ABF has confirmed a search for the man is continuing but declined to provide further details.
An ABF source told the Townsville Bulletin extra border force personnel were called in to transport the asylum seekers to hotel quarantine at a location outside of Townsville.
Federal local MP Phillip Thompson said was ABF and Queensland Health were working to quarantine and detain the individuals.
Another 11 crew members also left the ship (pictured) and tried to claim asylum but have been detained
Queensland Health is working to protect the local community and to ‘ensure the health of officers from agencies involved’.
‘Crew members are being tested however the risk to the community is low,’ a spokesperson said.
The ship left Huanghua in China on April 12 with hundreds of livestock onboard and spent 17 days at sea before it arrived in Townsville on Thursday.
Around 37 crew members are still on the board the ship, which had been given clearance to leave the port.
A Pakistani crew member on board Polaris 3 (pictured) fled by jumping overboard on Saturday night
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