Home English News Massive search for 19 feared drowned after Boat capsizes off Johor

Massive search for 19 feared drowned after Boat capsizes off Johor

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JOHOR BAHARU, July 15 — A massive search is underway in a six square nautical mile area between Tanjung Pelepas and Tanjung Piai for 19 people feared drowned after a boat carrying 80 Indonesians capsized off Tanjung Piai near Pontian early Tuesday.Malaysian policeman talks with two survivors (in orange suits) from a capsized boat near Tanjung Piai, Johor state, Malaysia, 15 July 2014. At least two people were killed and 19 were missing 15 July when a boat collided with a Malaysian coast guard vessel, rescuers and maritime officials said. Fifty-nine other people were rescued in the accident that occurred before dawn off Tanjung Piai town in Johor state, about 260 kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur. The boat was suspected to be loaded with undocumented immigrants from Indonesia, officials said.  Malaysian policeman talks with two survivors (in orange suits) from a capsized boat near Tanjung Piai, Johor

“The Fire and Rescue Department has been assigned an area about two nautical miles off Tanjung Pelepas. We are waiting for the low tide at 4.30 pm to deploy five boats until 7 pm,” he said.

Two people died and 19 others are feared drowned after the boat with 80 Indonesian illegal immigrants capsized at about 1.30 am.

The dead, a man and a woman, were among 61 people pulled out of the water by fire and rescue personnel after the boat collided with a vessel of the MMEA engaged in an ‘Ops Tumpas’ operation.

–BERNAMA