Six bodies wash up on shore near Bandar Penawar

Passers-by stumbled on the bodies at 9.40 am and alerted the police.

Kota Tinggi Police chief Supt Hussin Zamora said it was believed that the victims, aged between 31 and 46, tried to enter Malaysia illegally by sea.

"The victims were believed to have been washed away by strong currents while getting off their boat before drowning.

“The police together with the Malaysian Armed Forces, successfully arrested six Indonesian men, believed to be part of the same group, about 1 km away from the scene,” he said in a statement.

However, it is uncertain how many people were in the boat.

Hussin said the bodies were sent to the Sultan Ismail Hospital here and the police have classified the case as sudden death.

He added that the survivors have been handed over to the Immigration Department for further action.