China News Service, Kuala Lumpur, December 16, According to a report by Bernama, a shipwreck occurred in the early morning of the 15th local time off Kota Tinggi, Johor, in southern Malaysia due to severe weather.
The Malaysian military’s statement stated that about 50 illegal immigrants from Indonesia were on board the wrecked ship, of which 11 were dead, 14 were rescued, and 25 were missing.
At present, the search and rescue work for the missing persons is still in progress. The Malaysian Navy dispatched drones and naval personnel to assist in the search and rescue.
A person from the Malaysian Maritime Affairs Department told Bernama that the search and rescue work is expected to last 4 to 10 days.
According to investigations, the ship came from Lombok, Indonesia, and capsized about 20 meters from the beach when it was found.
Law enforcement officers of the Maritime Affairs Department of Mahai found 11 victims, including 7 men and 4 women, at the crash site.
Fourteen survivors were found on the beach and have been sent to the Malaysian military’s local post.
The Malaysian Maritime Department will investigate the illegal immigrant smuggling incident in order to pursue the smuggling group personnel behind it.
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