JAKARTA - A boat carrying undocumented foreigners (PATI/illegal migrants) has sunk again in Malaysian waters, suspected of transporting foreigners, including from Bangladesh and Indonesia.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Negeri Selangor, explained that the ship had a leak and sank on Saturday (16/5) at coordinates 2.1 nautical miles southwest of Apong River, Sabak Bernam, Selangor.
The Director of the Selangor State Maritime, Captain Abdul Muhaimin bin Muhammad Salleh said the Selangor State Maritime Center received an emergency call from the crew of the ship which was stranded on Saturday morning.
Furthermore, the Bagan Datuk Maritime Ship (KM) and the 41th Tugboat were immediately deployed to the scene for rescue operations.
"The Penggalang 41 ship that arrived at the location found that the ship had completely sunk around 9.00 am. A total of 16 undocumented migrants were rescued, while three more were still reported missing and search efforts were still being carried out," he said as reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 18.
According to him, the 16 victims who were successfully rescued consisted of 10 men, namely two Bangladeshis and eight Indonesians, as well as six Indonesian women aged between 24 and 50 years old.
All the victims had received help from a Malaysian fishing boat before Malaysian Maritime officers arrived.
To support the rescue operation, the Selangor State Maritime Enforcement Agency has opened a search and rescue post at the Kelong Paradise Jetty as a coordination center for the operation.
The search and rescue operation involving the Malaysian Maritime, the Marine Police Force (PPM) and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) covers a search area of 236 square nautical miles.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has reiterated its commitment to strengthening Malaysia's sovereignty and security in its waters, as well as eradicating illegal activities including migrant smuggling.
Previously, a ship carrying Indonesian illegal immigrants was also reported to have sunk in the waters of Perak, Malaysia.
In the incident in Perak, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency managed to find 39 Indonesian citizens, of which 23 were survivors and 16 died.
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