Eight bodies believed to be victims of boat capsize in Tanjung Piai found today

Eight bodies, seven men and a woman, believed to be victims of a boat capsize incident in the waters of Tanjung Piai, Pontian, on Tuesday, were found in the waters near the search area including in Tanjung Piai near Tanjung Pelepas Port.

Johor Baharu District Maritime Enforcement Head Kapten Aminuddin Abdul Rashid said all the bodies were found between 2am to 12.10pm Thursday.

"All the bodies have been handed over to the police for further action. So far, 12 bodies have been found, with the total number estimated at 72, of which 61 have been saved," he said in a statement issued here today.

The search and rescue operation (SAR) would be continued until 7pm tonight, he said.

Aminuddin said the operation might be continued tomorrow if there were new signs or discoveries.

In the SAR operations which entered its third day, 108 officers and members of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Marine Operations Force, Fire and Rescue Department and Tanjung Pelepas Port auxiliary police were involved.

On July 14, a boat with 72 illegal immigrants including two skippers, sank at about three nautical miles south east of Tanjung Piai at 11.40pm while trying to avoid detention by the MMEA.

The boat was on its way to Pulau Batam, Indonesia after leaving the waters of Tanjung Adang in Gelang Patah.