Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern would destroy boats used for human trafficking if they make it to New Zealand waters, she says.
Malaysian Police say the tanker was carrying 131 Sri Lankans headed for New Zealand and Australia. Photo: Royal Malaysia Police
Last week, a modified tanker with 131 people on board was intercepted by Malaysian authorities, who said it had been heading for Australia or New Zealand.
Ms Ardern would not say whether she thought the boat could have made it to New Zealand, but she did say what she would do once the asylum seekers were taken off the vessels.
"It's not up to me what happens to the boats, some of these are happening outside of New Zealand's waters. If it were up to me, I would destroy the boats."
Australian border protection agency head Steven Osborne said the whole Indo-Pacific region must take responsibility for preventing people smuggling.
Air Vice Marshall Osborne praised his Malaysian coutnerparts for stopping the boat before it arrived in Australian waters.
"This was a much larger vessel than we've seen for some time. It certainly was a larger number of people involved. It also seems to have been far more complex and sophisticated."
There were 98 men, 24 women, four boys and five girls on the boat, which had the name Etra painted on its side.
