Tawau: The remains of seven people, including a pregnant woman and a baby, believed to be from the boat which capsized while heading to Sungai Nyamuk in Indonesia, were retrieved from the waters off Pulau Sebatik, in the Indonesian waters, Thursday. Their identities were not immediately established with District Police Chief ACP Fadil Marsus identifying them only as two men, two women, one of whom is pregnant, and three boys.The bodies were found by personnel from the Indonesian search and rescue team.
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"The first body (man) was retrieved in the waters off Sungai Taiwan in Pulau Sebatik, Indonesia about 9.15am. However, the exact location has yet to be given. The other bodies were found in the waters off Karang Unaran, Sebatik, about 11am," he said.
The body of the seventh victim (man) was recovered by Civil Defence Force personnel led by SM Saharuddin Jusuf in the waters off Mile 4, about 5.48pm."The team was patrolling the Membelua waters when they turned back after detecting an object in the water," said Saharuddin, adding that the body was clad in a black shirt and brown trousers.
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"We have been informed by the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau that Indonesian search and rescue teams have brought the remains back to Nunukan," he said. Meanwhile, two survivors, Budiman Muslimin, 26, and his wife, Hasmida Masaniaga, 24, were rushed to the Tawau Hospital on Wednesday after they were found by local fishermen in the coastal area off Batu Payung and are reported to be in stable condition at press time.
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The husband and wife were clinging to one life jacket and had swum four hours after their boat sank prior to being rescued by the fishermen.They were among 15 people, all believed to be Indonesians, who left Tawau for Sungai Nyamuk in Indonesia about 5.30pm on Wednesday when strong waves caused their boat to capsize. Based on police reports lodged by family members of the victims, six are identified as Amiruddin Beddure, Hadra Hadde, Taqi Muhd Zaki, Muhd Faiz, Nur Hafizah and Muhd Ashraf, while the names of the other victims have yet to be obtained. A search and rescue operation has been mounted involving Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, marine, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force and the Eastern Sabah Security Command. Also there to assist were those from the Health Department, Tawau Hospital, air force, Welfare Department and the Indonesian Consulate. In a media conference at the Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre in Kota Kinabalu, MMEA Sabah and Labuan Regional Director First Admiral Mohd Zubil Mat Som did not rule out the possibility that all 15 passengers could be illegal immigrants. "I suspect them to be illegal immigrants. If they are not illegal immigrants why would they use an ungazetted route, those with passports are supposed to go through gazetted routes. "They should pick a boat with safety features including life jackets, boats which are licensed.
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Perhaps the fare for this is low and they simply boarded any boat from jetties whose status are unknown. "Thus, I believe they are illegal immigrants in Sabah trying to return to Indonesia," he said. - Lagatah Toyos