Asia-Pacific

1 drowned, 14 missing when trawler capsizes

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-22 13:46

KUALA LUMPUR - An Indonesian woman drowned and 14 others are missing after an Indonesian trawler capsized at 12 nautical miles from Port Dickson in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Port Dickson district police chief Baljeet Singh confirmed with Xinhua on Tuesday that there were 22 passengers on board the trawler that capsized.

He said that Malaysian marine police had successfully rescued five men and two females from the sea after the accident took place at 3 am Tuesday.

He also added that wounds were found on the survivors who were later sent to a nearby hospital.

It was learnt that the police would record statements from them after they were examined by the doctors.

According to Baljeet Singh, the rescue operation is still underway until 5 pm Tuesday.

The cause of the accident remained unknown, said Baljeet Singh, adding that the police were informed about the incident by a merchant ship.  

Meanwhile, another police officer, when contacted by Xinhua, was unable to confirm if the passengers were victims of human trafficking.

Local media, however, reported that the victims who were on their way back to Indonesia were believed to be illegal workers.