Death toll from migrant shipwreck off Malaysia rises to 25

Kedah and Perlis MMEA director Romli Mustafa says four more bodies were discovered today.

Kedah and Perlis MMEA director Romli Mustafa said search and rescue efforts were ongoing, and that the search area would be widened. (MMEA pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 The death toll from a boat carrying undocumented migrants which sank near the maritime border between Malaysia and Thailand has risen to 25 with the discovery of four more bodies today.

Sinar Harian reported Kedah and Perlis Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Romli Mustafa as saying the agency was informed by members of the public of the body of a man found near Pulau Beras Basah.

Not long after the body was recovered, MMEA found two other bodies floating in the waters off Tanjung Chincin.

At 11.20am, the Malaysian navy also reported the discovery of a boy’s body near Tanjung Belua.

Romli said search and rescue efforts were ongoing, and that the search area would be widened.

So far, 16 bodies have been found in Malaysian waters, and nine in Thai waters. A total of 13 people have been rescued, all in Malaysian waters.

It is understood that the migrants departed from Buthidaung, Myanmar, nearly a month ago on a ship which had around 300 people. They were separated into three boats when they reached the Thailand-Malaysia maritime border. - FMT