The director of marine police of the Banten regional police command, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Budi Hermawan said here on Friday 56 immigrants had been saved and evacuated by three boats from the scene.
Forty-five of them who are still weak have been referred to the immigration office while the ten others whose health conditions are serious have been taken to Krakatau Medika Hospital in Cilegon, he said.
"One died while being evacuated," Budi said.
The search and rescue teams meanwhile still continued searching other possible passengers of the boat that capsized early on Wednesday.
"It is initially reported around 150 immigrants were aboard the boat. So after 56 were saved there should be around 94 others that still have yet to be found," he said.
An immigrant from Afghanistan Ali Hasan said that he had actually been in Indonesia for a month. But on the way to Australia his boat capsized after being hit by big waves.
"We planned to go to Australia but this is our fate. We do not know where we are going after this," he said in English.
He admitted he did not speak English well as. He always speaks in Arabic. (YH)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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