KL police rescue 7 Indonesians

KL police rescue 7 Indonesians

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Malaysian marine police said on Friday that seven Indonesians were rescued in the Straits of Malacca after their boat, believed to be carrying about 100 passengers, capsized on Wednesday night after it was hit by large waves.

Malaysian authorities were alerted about the capsized boat by a passing ship which picked up three Indonesian men from the straits on Thursday.

Marine police launched a search and found four Indonesian women clinging to the partly capsized boat, which had drifted into Malaysian waters after the vessel foundered soon after departing from Dumai on Sumatra island.

Port Dickson marine police chief Abdul Rahman Mahammad said the boat could carry 80 passengers.

However, one of the Indonesian survivors said there were about 100 people in the boat when it was hit by large waves and overturned soon after leaving Dumai.

"I don't know what happened to the others after the boat overturned. Probably many died," said Cunbani Colnandan, 38, explaining that she was going to Malaysia to look for work.

Hundreds of Indonesians have drowned in similar tragedies over the years while attempting to sneak illegally into Malaysia.