Indonesian timber ship capsizes off Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR (Antara): An Indonesian ship bound for Malaysia with 100 tons of sawn timber sank in the South China Sea on Oct. 17 after it was battered by huge waves.

KM Marindo's 12 crew members were rescued by the Malaysian vessel Gisiang about 62 miles from the Sarawak coast, head of the consular section of the Indonesian embassy Fachry Sulaiman said on Tuesday.

He said the men were in the keeping of the embassy and would be sent home in the next five days.

Marindo's captain H. Rozaim said the ship left Ranai island, Riau province, for Kuching, Malaysia, but ran into rough seas.

He said crew members floated on wooden rafts for several days before they were picked up by the Gisiang.

Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Mohamad Yacob Dasto has visited the men and provided them with clothes and medicine.

All Ranai residents, the crew members are Rozaim (53), Abdul Halim (27), Sudirma (24), Durasid (26), Zamid (24), Abdul Haris (25), Idi Noor (30), Herman (18), Makune (33), Isa Bakri (30), Pawadi (25), and Abubakar (52).