The Australian Customs Service says it believes a boatload of six Papuans reported yesterday to have reached an Australian island never got there.
Customs has called off the search for the Papuans, thought to have been on an island in the Torres Strait, off Australia's north coast.
Media reports of their arrival became a major issue after Australia recently gave 43 others from the troubled Indonesian province temporary protection visas.
Indonesia has withdrawn its ambassador to Australia over the matter.
A 10-person Indonesian parliamentary delegation is planning to visit Canberra next week for high-level talks.