At least 13 dead in migrant boat sinking off Malaysia

(Baonghean.vn) - At least 13 people died after a small wooden boat believed to be carrying about 70 Indonesian migrants sank in the Strait of Malacca early on September 3, according to Malaysian officials.

Malaysian officials during a search and rescue operation in 2014. Photo: AFP.

The boat ran into trouble in rough seas off the west coast of Malaysia near the coastal town of Sabak Bernam, in Selangor state.

“Local fishermen have rescued 13 people and recovered 13 bodies. We have deployed 12 ships and one aircraft with about 200 officers to conduct a search and rescue operation for the remaining victims,” Mohamad Aliyas Hamdan, regional director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, told AFP.

Based on the size of the ill-fated boat, there may have been around 70 people on board, but local fishermen say there were likely up to 100 migrants on board.

Authorities have yet to question the survivors to confirm their nationalities. The bodies of the dead will be taken to a nearby hospital.

Mr Aliyas described the boat sinking as the worst tragedy of 2015, adding: “We are not sure whether these migrants were trying to land in Malaysia or trying to illegally cross the border from Malaysia.”

Southeast Asia's third-largest economy, Malaysia, has become a magnet for Indonesians looking for work. About 2 million illegal migrants, mostly from Indonesia, are currently working in Malaysia.

However, maritime accidents are common as thousands of people risk the dangerous crossing to get low-paying jobs in Malaysia. Worryingly, Indonesian migrants often choose to cross the Strait of Malacca under cover of darkness to avoid detection.

Last June, an overloaded boat carrying 97 Indonesian migrants returning home for the holy month of Ramadan sank overnight in waters off western Malaysia, killing more than 10 people.

Thu Giang

(According to AFP)