MELAKA: The crew of a Dumai-Melaka ferry service rescued 11 foreigners after they were found floating in the sea.
Melaka Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Christopher Patit said the 38-year-old captain of Indomal Kingdom Express alerted the police about the sighting of the 11 at the maritime border of Indonesia and Malaysia.
"The captain then rescued all the victims and brought them to the ferry terminal here," he said.
He then said that one of the 11 suffered breathing difficulties and had to be rushed to the Melaka Hospital when the ferry arrived here at about 1.30pm on Tuesday (Aug 15).
ACP Christopher Patit said a report was lodged on the same day by the captain.
He said that based on the report, all 11 were found floating at about 12pm on the same day when the ferry was plying the Straits of Malacca from Dumai to here.
He said the victims were aged between 51 to 25 years and all were Indonesians.
ACP Christopher Patit said police were still investigating whether those rescued were victims of an incident where a boat capsized and added that the police would try to get information from the victims as they were rescued within the boundary of Indonesian waters.
"For now, we have referred all 11 to the Melaka Immigration Department," he added.
