SAR for nine more capsized illegal immigrants continues for the fifth day

JOHOR BARU: The search and rescue operation (SAR) for nine more illegal immigrants in the waters off Kota Tinggi last Monday continues for the fifth day involving 900 nautical miles of search area.
Johor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) deputy director of operations Captain Sanifah Yusof said the operation was concentrated from the waters off Pulau Besar, Mersing to the waters off Tanjung Penyusup, Pengerang, near Kota Tinggi.
"SAR operations today involved 150 personnel and eight sea assets of agencies such as the Fire and Rescue Department, Marine Police, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Army, and the Civil Defence Force," he said in a statement here today.
Sanifah said the search was also conducted on the coast near the scene.
He said with the latest discovery of two women's bodies at 8.15am and 4 pm yesterday, near Pulau Tinggi, Mersing, the tragedy now had recorded 10 deaths, consisting of six men and four women.
"Based on yesterday's findings, the total number of victims found was 35, of whom 25 were alive (24 men and a woman), 10 dead while nine were still missing," he said.
Last Monday, a woman drowned while 25 survivors were found after a speedboat carrying illegal immigrants from Batam, Indonesia, capsized about 12pm in the waters off Tanjung Punggai near Kota Tinggi.
It is believed that a total of 44 immigrants aged between 20 and 40 were in the boat that capsized due to overloading and bad weather. — Bernama