Death toll from boat tragedy in Malaysia rises to 61

Kuala Lumpur - A Malaysian official says the death
toll from a wooden boat that capsized last week
with Indonesian migrant workers off the country's

western coast has risen to 61. Another 20
Indonesians have been rescued.
Maritime official Mohamad Hambali Yaakup says
rescuers have retrieved the bodies of 37 men, 23
women and that of a young girl.
Also read: At least 13 dead after migrant boat
sinks off Malaysia: official
The boat was believed to have been taking migrant
workers home to Tanjung Balai in Indonesia's
Sumatra province when it sank Thursday in bad sea
conditions, not far from the coast of Sabak Bernam
town in central Selangor state.
Hambali said Monday that the search operation will
continue.
Such incidents are common in Malaysia, which has
up to 2 million Indonesian migrants working
illegally.
- AP