LANGKAWI: Six more bodies believed to be victims of a capsized boat were found in waters near the Thailand-Malaysia border off Langkawi on Sunday (Nov 9).
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director (Kedah and Perlis), Maritime First Admiral Romli Mustafa (pic), said the bodies, believed to be victims of the same incident, were found by Thai authorities.
The discovery brings the total number of victims found so far to 26, comprising 13 survivors and 13 deceased.
"We expect to discover more victims today (Monday, Nov 10), as sea current patterns in the search area indicate that they are drifting towards Malaysian waters,” he told reporters here on Monday.
Romli said that the search and rescue operation continued on Monday, with the search sector radius expanded to more than 250 square nautical miles, and involved assets from various agencies.
He said the search area is expanded based on estimates of sea currents that may have taken the victims to a location further away from the original location.
He added that the focus of the search is concentrated on the southern waters of Tarutao Island.
The Thai authorities, he said, would focus their operations in the north of the island.
According to Romli, about 300 Myanmarese immigrants of the Rohingya ethnic group and Bangladeshis were believed to have boarded a vessel before being transferred to two boats.
However, one of the boats, with about 70 immigrants on board, was said to have capsized in the waters of Tarutao Island about 2.5 nautical miles north of Langkawi.
The location of the vessel and the other boat, believed to be carrying about 230 immigrants, was unknown.
Meanwhile, Langkawi OCPD Asst Comm Khairul Azhar Nuruddin said police are continuing investigations into the possible involvement of a syndicate believed to have organised the migrants’ journey.
He said that information obtained from the survivors indicated they had dealings with agents in Myanmar.
Several phone numbers obtained from the victims also suggest the possible involvement of agents operating in Malaysia.
"We will conduct further inquiries, as there is a strong possibility that a syndicate is involved,” he said. — Bernama
