IPOH: A boat with 30 Indonesians drifted at sea for eight days before being found by the marine police.
Manjung OCPD Asst Comm Mohamed Nordin Abdullah said the boat, along with its captain, 24 men and five women, was found about 9.8 nautical miles from Tanjung Hantu in Segari at around 834pm, Saturday (Aug 10).
"We received information about the boat and believed that they were trying to enter the country illegally.
"Investigations found that the group of people had gathered in Sabak Bernam before boarding the boat on Aug 3," he said in a press statement on Monday (Aug 12).
"The boat had broken down, causing it to drift for eight days before being found by the marine police," he said.
"They had wanted to go back to their home country," he added.
ACP Mohamed Nordin said all 30 people from the boat have been arrested, with the case being investigated under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act.
"We have obtained an order to remand them.
"The captain is being remanded for 28 days while those without passports will be remanded for 14 days," he said.
"One of them is seeking treatment at the hospital after drinking sea water and complications caused by diabetes and kidney disease," he added.
