Asylum seeker boat gets within cooee of Cocos Islands

By Bianca Hall
Updated May 4 2016 - 1:13am, first published 12:59am
Members of the Australian Border Force took the people on the boat to a Border Force vessel. Photo: Supplied
Members of the Australian Border Force took the people on the boat to a Border Force vessel. Photo: Supplied
This boatload of suspected Sri Lankan boat people arrived at the Cocos Islandsin July 2012. Photo: karen willshaw
This boatload of suspected Sri Lankan boat people arrived at the Cocos Islandsin July 2012. Photo: karen willshaw
Customs officials watch a boatoad of asylum seekers approach the Cocos Islands in 2012. Photo: Karen Willshaw
Customs officials watch a boatoad of asylum seekers approach the Cocos Islands in 2012. Photo: Karen Willshaw

Locals say a small wooden boat filled with asylum seekers has made it to within 500 metres of the Cocos Islands.