Six boats carrying asylum seekers have tried to make New Zealand shores in the last eight years.
The figures were released after at least 30 men, women and children seeking asylum died when their wooden boat smashed into craggy cliffs on Australia's Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday. Forty-two survived.
The figures, released to 3News under the Official Information Act, show at least six boats have tried to make it here in the last eight years:
* In 2002 a vessel carrying 34 people is thought to have sunk en route and a vessel with 56 people on board was stopped in Dili as it refuelled.
* In 2004 and 2007 boats which had just left Sri Lanka for New Zealand were stopped with more than 100 people on board.
* Last year, New Zealand customs service helped intercept a boat in Torres Strait and 32 people were caught on a Sri Lankan beach, planning to come to New Zealand.
All but one of the boats came from Sri Lanka.
The New Zealand Defence Force continues to work with Australian authorities, to detect boats heading this way.
Prime Minister John Key's office told 3News a major exercise last month rehearsed intercepting boatpeople making for New Zealand shores.
Mr Key said that as people smugglers get bigger and better boats, New Zealand could increasingly become a target.
