(Medan) At least two people have died and 26 others are missing after the sinking of a ferry carrying dozens of migrants off the coast of Indonesia, authorities in the archipelago announced on Sunday.
Posted at 9:03 a.m.
When it left Malaysia, 89 people were on board this wooden fishing boat which quickly fell victim to a leak before being caught in a strong swell and sinking.
The bodies of a man and a woman were found while 61 others were rescued and taken to hospitals. The other passengers are still missing.
“We have deployed rescuers to search for the 26 missing people, but our efforts have been unsuccessful so far,” rescue manager Ady Pandawa told AFP on Sunday.
The passengers came from all over Indonesia and went to find work in Malaysia, he added.
“We believe that the number of passengers exceeded the capacity of the boat and that when it was hit by strong waves, it immediately sank,” he added.
Malaysia, a relatively wealthy country, hosts millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of whom work in sectors such as construction and agriculture.
Indonesians seeking illegal work in neighboring Malaysia often undertake perilous sea crossings, and accidents are common due to poor weather conditions.
In January, six Indonesians drowned off the coast of Malaysia after their boat capsized during a suspected illegal entry attempt.
A month earlier, 21 Indonesian migrants also died when their boat sank.