In October 2001, he boarded the Olong, a boat bound for Australian waters carrying 223 asylum seekers. Shortly after entering Australian waters, the Olong, which was designated Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel IV (SIEV IV) by the Australian Government, was intercepted by the Australian Navy vessel HMAS Adelaide and forced to return to international waters. After SIEV IV sank, its passengers were rescued by the crew of the Adelaide.[2] The sinking of the SIEV IV triggered the children overboard scandal after then Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock, Defence Minister Peter Reith and Prime Minister John Howard falsely claimed that passengers of SIEV IV had thrown their own children overboard.