The boat was discovered on Tuesday evening in the waters around Nusa Barong Isle in the district of Jember, East Java.
"Initially we received information from fishermen about a ship wreck believed to be of that carrying illegal immigrants that sank in Prigi waters, Trenggalek recently. After being checked it was found to be true," Puger marine police chief Adjunct Commissioner Nur Mahfud said to ANTARA seeking confirmation about the news.
He said the boat was found six miles from the coast of Puger or in the waters around Nusa Barong Isle located not far away from where 13 immigrants were recently rescued by a coal barge.
"The 25-meter long two-storey wooden boat was badly damaged up to 75 percent," he said.
He said marine police members helped by a navy boat from Banyuwangi at Puger evacuated the boat.
"The evacuation takes around seven hours because the boat was stranded at an estuary due to tidal waves but we have successfully taken it to Plawangang Puger," he said.
Nur Mahfud said the police did not find any dead body or living persons around the waters south of Jember but efforts to find them would still be continued.
"Today we conducted scouring to find victims of the ill-fated boat but no result was made although we found the boat," he said.
A survivor, Mehdi Mutaziri (16) meanwhile said the number of immigrants being drifted while seeking safety numbered 35.
"We numbered 35 but some of them could not be helped because they were very weak," he said to newsmen at a hotel in Jember.
Thirteen immigrants were found safe on Nusa Barong on Monday (Dec 19) consisting 12 men and one woman.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
