SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt to smuggle illegal migrants out of the country in the waters off Pantai Tanjung Rhu, Kuala Langat early this morning.
Selangor MMEA director Maritime Capt Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh said the Klang Area Control Centre (ACC) alerted the agency about a suspicious target moving at high speed in the area at 1.50 am.
The MMEA team found an unregistered fibreglass boat speeding away and pursued it for about 35 minutes.
"The skipper then deliberately rammed the patrol boat and damaged its hull and engine guard, before jumping into the sea with several foreign migrants and swimming towards the nearby mangrove swamp.
"We found two undocumented migrants, both women aged 28 and 45, aboard the vessel,” he said in a statement today.
Abdul Muhaimin said the women informed them that approximately 20 other passengers from the boat had jumped into the sea and escaped.
He said the case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for not possessing valid identification documents. - BERNAMA