8th body found after boat tragedy off Pangkor

 Marine police say the identity of the victim has yet to be established.

MMEA officers retrieving the belongings of undocumented migrants after the boat they were travelling in capsized in waters off Pangkor island on Monday. (MMEA pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Another body was found in waters off Pangkor island today, bringing the death toll from Monday’s boat capsize involving undocumented Indonesian migrants to eight.

Marine police Region 1 operations headquarters commanding officer Mazre Che Mahmod said rescuers found the floating body at about 11.30am, approximately three nautical miles from Tukun Terendak.

“The identity of the victim has yet to be established. The search continues for the six victims still missing,” Bernama reported him as saying.

The Perak Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said the search and rescue operation, now in its fourth day, is focused on seven sectors covering 219.01 square nautical miles.

It said the operation, which resumed at 7am, involved air and sea assets from MMEA, the navy and marine police.

A boat, believed to be carrying 37 Indonesians, capsized in waters off Pangkor island on Monday while travelling to various destinations in Malaysia. MMEA Perak rescued 23 of them on Tuesday. - FMT