MELAKA: Two children were among 18 irregular migrants caught trying to cross the Strait of Malacca in a rickety speedboat before being intercepted by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
Melaka and Negri Sembilan MMEA director Maritime Capt Salehuddin Zakaria said the overcrowded boat, with no safety features, was stopped about 11 nautical miles off Tanjung Kling at 9.25pm on Wednesday.
“Two nine-year-old boys and five women were among those on board. We also detained the skipper and a crewman, bringing the total to 20,” he said yesterday.
The group, aged nine to 45, was believed to be heading to Pulau Besar to transfer onto a locally registered vessel, but the boat suffered engine failure and began drifting.
Salehuddin said the alert first came from a merchant vessel, which was transferred to the Klang Vessel Traffic System and then to the Johor Baru Maritime Rescue Sub Centre.
A patrol under Ops Patkor Optima later found the vessel with both engines damaged.
All passengers and the boat were towed to the MMEA jetty and handed over to investigators for further action under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act.
