Tampa

MV Tampa is a regular visitor to Fremantle. In August 2001 the Norwegian registered ship made global headlines when it rescued 438 Afghans from a sinking fishing boat in international waters whilst heading for refuge in Australia. The conservative government at the time ordered special forces personnel to board the ship to prevent Tampa's Captain Arne Rinnan, from unloading it's passengers in Australian Territory, Christmas Island.

It was the start of a quite ugly political fight in Australia leading up to an election.

The crew of the Tampa received the Nansen Refugee Award for 2002 from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for their involvement in the events.

More here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampa_affair