Three more bodies found in sunken barge

Three more bodies of the crew on a barge which sank at 8.6 nautical miles off Tanjung Punggai, Kota Tinggi, five days ago, were found Sunday.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Tanjung Sedili, in a statement today, said the bodies were found after the search and rescue team resume operation at 6.30 am today and opened the door of the barge.

"The three bodies were found by the search and rescue team near the door of the barge at 8 am.

"However, the bodies are still in the barge as there is some problems to bring them up," it said.

With the discovery of the three bodies, this brings to five the number of victims found. Nine crew members are still missing.

In the 4.20 am incident last Wednesday, the sand-laden barge was believed to have been hit by waves and capsized.