Search for migrants continues
June 19, 2014
In the latest incident, nine people were missing off western Malaysia after their boat sank near the district of Sepang, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, The Star newspaper reported early on Thursday. The boat is believed to have been bound for the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
The Star quoted Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) official Mohammad Hambali Yaakup as saying 18 people had been rescued.
Search continues
This came as rescuers continued their search for 26 Indonesian migrants who were aboard a separate overloaded boat that sank off Malaysia's coast early on Wednesday with 97 people on board.
However, some of the missing may have reached shore and gone into hiding for fear of being arrested, Yaakup said. He also said the search zone had been expanded with more divers and vessels taking part in the rescue operation.
Nine bodies have been recovered since the boat sank carrying 62 people sank, according to the MMEA. The passengers were reportedly heading back to Indonesia for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. This year the fasting begins around the end of June and culminates in late July with Eid al-Fitr, Islam's biggest festival.
The boat was believed to be heading for the Indonesian province of Aceh, but sank near Port Klang, Malaysia's main seaport.
Malaysia is a magnet for migrant workers from poorer neighbors such as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Around 1.5 million illegal immigrants are estimated to be working in the country, more than half of whom are Indonesian.
Many Indonesians risk the sea journey to Malaysia on unseaworthy boats.
hc/pfd (AFP, AP, dpa)