Malaysia searches for 14 missing after migrant boat capsizes

A fisherman alerted authorities early Monday after discovering victims floating in the waters off Pangkor island, authorities say

Malaysia's maritime agency has launched a search and rescue operation for 14 people missing after a boat believed to be carrying undocumented Indonesian migrants sank off its western coast on Monday.

A fisherman alerted authorities early Monday after discovering victims floating in the waters off Pangkor island, Perak state maritime director Mohamad Shukri Khotob said in a statement.

A local fishing vessel rescued 23 Indonesians, including seven women, who were escorted to a marine police jetty for documentation and further investigations, Mohamad Shukri said.

Initial investigations found that the sunken boat, carrying 37 people, had departed from Kisaran, Indonesia on May 9 with its passengers headed for several Malaysian destinations including the capital Kuala Lumpur and Penang island in the northwest.

"As of now... the remaining victims have yet to be identified and search operations are continuing," Mohamad Shukri said.

Accidents are common in the waterways between Indonesia and Malaysia, usually involving overloaded boats ferrying labourers seeking work in Malaysian plantations and factories.

An estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Indonesians make the perilous journey each year, often recruited by trafficking gangs and subject to exploitation when they arrive, migrant activists have said.