By Xinhua,
Kuala Lumpur : Five bodies were found and seven other people are still missing after a boat capsized off in southern Malaysia, local media reported on Wednesday.
The boat, believed to be ferrying illegal immigrants, was capsized off Tanjung Penawar in Kota Tinggi, southern Johor state on Sunday, the New Straits Times reported.
Five bodies — two men, two women and a child — were discovered by local fishermen not far from the beach off Tanjung Penawar on Tuesday afternoon.
A man and a woman were picked up by police as they wandered aimlessly on a beach.
Based on the survivors’ report that there were 14 people on board, the search and rescue operation was conducted to search for seven others, four of whom are believed to be children.
The survivors told the police they were from Batam, Indonesia.
“The small boat they were in was probably hit by strong waves as they were approaching land and capsized,” Kota Tinggi acting police chief Mohammad Shamsuddin was quoted as saying.
Police did not find any travel documents, he added.
Police would investigate and called on members of the public, particularly the fishing community in the area, to inform them if any of their friends or relatives have not returned from the sea over the past 48 hours, Mohammad said.