Corpses found in Malacca Strait

PEKANBARU, Riau: A group of fishermen from Bagan Siapiapi, Bangko district in Bengkalis regency, found two male bodies floating near Halang Island in Malacca Strait, Antara reported on Tuesday.

Police said that the bodies, discovered on Saturday and Sunday, were decomposed and bloated and that locals had given them a proper burial.

In a separate report from Batam Island, the news agency said locals on Monday found eight decomposed bodies floating in the local waters. The bodies, all male, could be those of Indonesian job seekers whose ship overturned en route to Malaysia, residents speculated.

Dr. Salman of the Batam Hospital estimated the time of death to be up to two weeks ago. No signs of violence were found so far in the bodies. (swe)