Editing Suspected Irregular Entry Vessel

{{Short description|Australian military term}}
{{redirect|SIEV|other uses|Siev (disambiguation){{!}}Siev}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

'''Suspected Irregular Entry Vessel''' ('''SIEV''') was the operational term used by the [[Australian Defence Force]] and [[Australian Coastwatch]] for maritime vessels that appeared to be attempting to reach Australia clandestinely.

The legal context was of vessels that were entering Australian waters [[unauthorised arrival|without authorisation]].<ref name="Customs Report 2008-09">{{cite web| title=Reference Material/6.3 Abbreviations| url=http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/minisites/annualreport0809/pages/page85.html| work=Annual Report 2008-09| publisher=Australian Customs and Border Protection Service| accessdate=6 September 2013| quote='SIEV: Suspect ''Irregular'' Entrant Vessel'}}</ref> Previously the term 'Suspected ''Illegal'' Entry Vessel' was used.<ref name="Customs Report 2007-08">{{cite web| title=Reference Information/ Glossary and Acronyms| url=http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/minisites/annualReport0708/pages/page41.html|work=Annual Report 2007-08 |publisher=Australian Customs and Border Protection Service| accessdate=6 September 2013 | issn=0818-2051 | quote=SIEV: Suspect ''Illegal'' Entrant Vessel}}</ref><ref name="Suspected 'Illegal'">{{cite web|last=McPhedran|first=Ian|author-link=Ian McPhedran|title=Seaman Matt Keogh's bravery aboard the ill-fated SIEV 36 chronicled in Too Bold To Die|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books/seaman-matt-keogh8217s-bravery-aboard-the-illfated-siev-36-chronicled-in-too-bold-to-die-by-news-corp8217s-ian-mcphedran/story-fn9412vp-1226700076817|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915080032/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books/seaman-matt-keogh8217s-bravery-aboard-the-illfated-siev-36-chronicled-in-too-bold-to-die-by-news-corp8217s-ian-mcphedran/story-fn9412vp-1226700076817|archivedate=15 September 2013|publisher=News Corp Australia|website=news.com.au|accessdate=6 September 2013|date=19 August 2013}}</ref> These boats are almost exclusively carrying [[refugee|asylum seekers]] who have departed from Indonesia on the final leg of a journey which started in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka after paying "[[people smuggler]]s".<ref name="Paid smugglers">{{cite news|last=Skelton|first=Russell|title=People smugglers operate as 'open secret'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/people-smugglers-operate-as-open-secret-20110128-1a8ds.html|accessdate=6 September 2013|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=29 January 2011}}</ref> During [[Operation Relex]], 12 SIEVs were intercepted. Four were forced back to Indonesia, and three sank.

SIEVs were given numerical designations. The vessel involved in the [[children overboard affair]] was the [[SIEV-4]]. The vessel that sank in 2001, killing 353 asylum seekers (mostly women and children) was designated by the press as SIEV X (a temporary operational term used by Coastwatch prior to designation, the SIEV-X often referred to in the press was reported not to have been detected prior to sinking).

==List of notable SIEVs==
*[[SIEV-4]] – the vessel involved in the children overboard affair, reached Christmas Island on 6 October 2001 with 223 passengers.
*SIEV-5 – reached Ashmore Reef on 12 October 2001 with 242 passengers.
*SIEV-6 – reached Christmas Island on 18 October 2001 with 227 passengers.
* [[SIEV-X]] – sank on 19 October 2001 with 421 passengers, killing 353. This boat was not an official SIEV, as it had not been detected by Australian authorities.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.sievxmemorial.com/|title=SIEVX national memorial project|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183928/http://www.sievxmemorial.com/|archivedate=3 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | author1=Kevin, Tony | title=A certain maritime incident : the sinking of SIEV X | date=14 August 2023 | publication-date=2004 | publisher=Scribe Publications | isbn=978-1-920769-21-5 }}</ref>
*SIEV-7 – reached Ashmore Reef on 22 October 2001 with 233 passengers.
*[[SIEV 36]] – exploded and caught fire on 16 April 2009.  The boat was carrying 47 passengers and two Indonesian crew.  Three occupants were killed, and two more are missing.  Five of the six navy personnel on board were injured.
*SIEV-221 – [[2010 Christmas Island boat disaster|shipwrecked on cliffs at Christmas Island]] on 15 December 2010, 44 survivors from an estimated 90-100 passengers.

==Inquiries and inquests==
The Siev X, Siev 36 and Siev 221 events were followed by a number of inquiries, articles and books; Siev 36 had a coronial inquest held in Darwin as the incident had occurred in the Commonwealth Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands over which the Northern Territory has coronial jurisdiction,<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/siev36/inquest.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322033818/http://www.defence.gov.au/siev36/inquest.htm|archivedate=22 March 2012 |title=SIEV 36|publisher=Australian Government|author=Department of Defence}}</ref> and the Siev 221 coronial inquest was held in Perth due to Western Australia having coronial jurisdiction in the Commonwealth Territory of Christmas Island.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2012/s3438150.htm|title=WA coroner hands down findings into Christmas Island disaster|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203082908/http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2012/s3438150.htm|archivedate=3 February 2014|date=23 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="wacorn">{{cite web |url= http://www.coronerscourt.wa.gov.au/_files/Christmas_Island_Findings.pdf |title=Christmas Island Tragedy – Coroners Court|publisher=Western Australia Coroners Court |accessdate=6 September 2013 }}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
*[[Tampa affair]]

[[Category:Suspected Illegal Entry Vessels| ]]