Confirmed death toll in Malaysia boat accidents rises to 16
Malaysian maritime authorities raised the confirmed death toll from two boat accidents carrying illegal immigrants to 16, with dozens of others still missing.
Malaysian maritime authorities on Sunday recovered the body of an Indonesian woman, raising the confirmed death toll from two boat accidents to 16 with dozens of others still missing.
Two boats taking illegal immigrants back to neighbouring Indonesia’s Sumatra island for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan capsized early in Wednesday off Malaysia’s west coast in two separate incidents.
Sixteen people are confirmed dead, while 83 others have been rescued so far and 25 remain missing, said Mohamad Hambali Yaakup, an official with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.
“The body we found today is a woman,” he said. “We will keep on doing our search and rescue operation.”
Both boats were overloaded - with one transporting 97 people, more than three times its capacity - and sank in rough seas near Port Klang, the country’s main port.