Boat with 27 illegal immigrants capsizes off Teluk Ramunia

JOHOR BAHRU,  Jan 20 -- A boat carrying 27 illegal immigrants capsized in the waters of Teluk Ramunia, Pengerang, near Kota Tinggi, this morning.

Johor Maritime director First Maritime Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said 19 of them, comprising 10 women and nine men, were found safe, while two women were found drowned.

"The remaining six victims are still missing at sea. The Johor Bahru Maritime Rescue Sub Center has activated OP CARILAMAT (search and rescue operation ) for them at 6.40 am today, “ he said in a statement here.

Nurul Hizam said at 3.45 am today, the Malaysian Maritime Surveillance System (SWASLA) radar  detected a suspicious target moving from the waters of Pulau Bintan, Indonesia, to the country's waters and had channeled information to the assets of the Royal Malaysian Navy KD Sri Indera Sakti, which was on Op Benteng duty.

Following that, the RMN detected the boat at 4.10 am, but the boat fled before it capsized at 0.8 nautical miles of Teluk Ramunia at 4.50 am, he said, adding that this was the second boat capsize incident this week involving illegal immigrants.

Three days ago, six Indonesian women drowned, while seven were rescued when their boat capsized in the waters of Pontian Besar.

-- BERNAMA