Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - A wooden boat carrying about 30 Indonesian migrant workers sank in East Johor waters, Malaysia, en route to Batam, Riau Islands province, early Wednesday.

"We have just received a report that a wooden boat carrying Indonesian migrant workers sank in Malaysian waters," spokesman for the Riau Islands provincial police Adj Sr Com Hartono said.

Thirteen of the passengers survived the tragedy and the rest was still missing, he said.

He believed the migrant workers were illegal as the boat did not depart from an authorized port in Malaysia.

The Riau Islands police could do nothing to rescue them because the accident occurred in the territory of another country, he said.

Meanwhile, the director of Riau Islands provincial water police, Adj Sr Com Muhammad Yassin said Malaysian police were still searching for the missing passengers.
(Uu.S012/HAJM/A014 )



(T.SYS/C/S012/A014) 01-06-2011 17:55:41

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011