The number of deaths from the capsized boat carrying 97 Indonesian illegals near Sungai Air Hitam on Tuesday has risen to 14, after police retrieved three more bodies from Pantai Morib, Carey Island and Port Klang yesterday.
Kuala Langat district police chief Supt Azman Abdul Razak was quoted by Bernama as saying the remains of two men were found floating near Pantai Morib and Carey Island, but did not have any identification documents on them. Another body was found near West Port, Port Klang.
“The 14 dead comprised 11 men and three women. The search for another 20 reported missing will go on,” he told reporters yesterday.
So far, 63 passengers have been found or rescued. The latest was a 34-year old woman found safe in Tanjung Sepat, but 20 more victims are still missing.
Azman said 97 was a rough estimate of the number of people aboard the vessel, and all victims have had no valid travel documents, or possessed expired visit passes.
On 11pm Tuesday, a boat ferrying an estimated 97 passengers capsized while on the way to Tanjung Balai, Indonesia from the Sungai Judah Jetty in Carey Island.
Azman added that the number of victims rescued in the operation was high, but that others might be avoiding search operators in order to escape arrest by authorities.
Photo: Afif Abd Halim / The Malaysian Insider
