28 suspected illegal migrants missing; police say some may be hiding ashore

A wooden boat carrying Indonesians home in a storm sank in choppy seas off Malaysia's west coast early on Wednesday, leaving 28 people missing and eight dead, Malaysian officials said. At least 61 people survived.

The boat capsized shortly after midnight about 3.7 km from shore on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur while trying to leave Malaysia illegally for Aceh province in Indonesia, maritime agency official Mohamad Hambali Yaakup said.

Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia's wealthier economies, has long been a magnet for illegal immigrants from Indonesia and other poorer countries in the region.

Tens of thousands of Indonesians work without legal permits in plantations and other industries in Malaysia, and they travel between the countries by crossing the narrow Strait of Malacca, often in poorly equipped boats.

The passengers in the boat that sank were believed to be heading home before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Police said the boat lacked safety equipment such as life jackets, but that rescuers were still holding out hope of finding more survivors. The boat went down in shallow water close to shore.

"It is likely that survivors could have swum ashore and went into hiding since they have no legal documents here," said Hambali, head of operations in the area for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

Hambali said survivors were rescued at sea and found on land after swimming to safety; they included 12 women and a child. A woman and seven men died, he added.

He said he could not confirm reports that a people-smuggling gang had been involved with the boat.

The survivors were being questioned by police and immigration authorities, and Indonesian embassy officials were also on the scene.

A ship, eight boats and a helicopter were searching for further survivors. Police Superintendent Azman Abdul Razak said 100 personnel were involved in the rescue effort.

Hambali said authorities are still investigating why the boat sank but rough seas and an overloaded boat could have been factors. Some survivors also claimed the boat was leaking, he said, and police told local media the boat capsized during a storm.

He said chances of survival for more than 24 hours without a life vest were very slim.

The local English language newspaper The Star also quoted police sources as saying that the boat did not capsize, as initially believed, but that a leak in the vessel caused it to sink.

The boat's capacity was 50-60 people, but it was believed to be carrying 97.

Despite periodic crackdowns on illegal workers, Malaysia is home to an estimated 2 million undocumented immigrants or about 7 percent of its 29 million population.

AP - Reuters - Xinhua

(China Daily 06/19/2014 page11)