ID :
22112
Wed, 10/01/2008 - 16:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/22112
The shortlink copeid
12 INDONESIANS DROWN AFTER BOAT SINKS OFF PORT KLANG
PORT KLANG (Malaysia), Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Eleven women and one man drowned while 125 other people were rescued after a wooden barge ferrying Indonesians sank in the waters off Pintu Gedong, 15km from Westport here Tuesday.
Klang district police chief ACP Mohamad Mat Yusop said all the dead were in
their 20s. One of the dead women was pregnant.
The barge was believed to have sunk 10 minutes after setting sail from a
forest area in Pulau Che Mat Zin, near Westport, for Tanjong Balai in the
Sumatra.
The survivors as well as the bodies of the 12 were found near where the
barge had sunk, Mohamad told reporters at the Westport Malaysia Sdn Bhd
emergency operations room here.
He said the bodies were found by a Westport Malaysia pilot boat which was
on
its way to tow a tanker, "Arowana Liverpool" to Westport.
Mohamad said police received information on the incident from Westport at
7.30am and launched a search and rescue operation with the help of 60 personnel
from the marine police, Marine Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
(MMEA)and the Westport security unit.
The survivors comprised 88 men, 32 women, four children and an
eight-month-old baby, all Indonesians.
Eighteen of them were treated at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang,
while the rest were placed at the Westport temporary operations room.
Mohamad said the 5m-long barge had capacity for 70 passengers but was
carrying about 130 people.
He said the acqual number of passengers had yet to be ascertained and the
rescue operation would continue until 7pm today.
All the victims were not carrying any identification papers, he
added.
"Police have detained six Indonesian men believed to be in charge of the
barge for ivnestigation. They are believed to be carrying out an illegal
operation to ferry Indonesians in and out of Malaysia," he said.
All the Indonesians were believed to be on their way home to celebrate
Aidilfitri.
Meanwhile, an MMEA public relations spokesman said in a statement that two
boats and two helicopters from its air unit had been mobilised for the search
and rescue operation.
Aircraft from the Fire and Rescue and police air units had also been
deployed.
One of the passengers, who wanted to be known only as Nur Najihah, 22, said
the barge sank suddenly.
She said she lost her grip on her 14-month-old son. She then swam around
looking for him and found that he had been rescued by the other
passengers.
Klang district police chief ACP Mohamad Mat Yusop said all the dead were in
their 20s. One of the dead women was pregnant.
The barge was believed to have sunk 10 minutes after setting sail from a
forest area in Pulau Che Mat Zin, near Westport, for Tanjong Balai in the
Sumatra.
The survivors as well as the bodies of the 12 were found near where the
barge had sunk, Mohamad told reporters at the Westport Malaysia Sdn Bhd
emergency operations room here.
He said the bodies were found by a Westport Malaysia pilot boat which was
on
its way to tow a tanker, "Arowana Liverpool" to Westport.
Mohamad said police received information on the incident from Westport at
7.30am and launched a search and rescue operation with the help of 60 personnel
from the marine police, Marine Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
(MMEA)and the Westport security unit.
The survivors comprised 88 men, 32 women, four children and an
eight-month-old baby, all Indonesians.
Eighteen of them were treated at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang,
while the rest were placed at the Westport temporary operations room.
Mohamad said the 5m-long barge had capacity for 70 passengers but was
carrying about 130 people.
He said the acqual number of passengers had yet to be ascertained and the
rescue operation would continue until 7pm today.
All the victims were not carrying any identification papers, he
added.
"Police have detained six Indonesian men believed to be in charge of the
barge for ivnestigation. They are believed to be carrying out an illegal
operation to ferry Indonesians in and out of Malaysia," he said.
All the Indonesians were believed to be on their way home to celebrate
Aidilfitri.
Meanwhile, an MMEA public relations spokesman said in a statement that two
boats and two helicopters from its air unit had been mobilised for the search
and rescue operation.
Aircraft from the Fire and Rescue and police air units had also been
deployed.
One of the passengers, who wanted to be known only as Nur Najihah, 22, said
the barge sank suddenly.
She said she lost her grip on her 14-month-old son. She then swam around
looking for him and found that he had been rescued by the other
passengers.
