A boat carrying 37 undocumented migrants believed to be from Indonesia has capsized off Pangkor Island on Malaysia’s west coast, leaving 14 people still missing, maritime authorities said.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Perak said it received an alert early Monday after a local fisherman discovered several survivors floating at sea.
Perak MMEA director Mohamad Shukri Khotob said initial investigations indicated that all 37 migrants were onboard the vessel when it departed.
“So far, 23 victims have been rescued while efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining individuals,” he said in a statement on Monday night.
He added that preliminary findings showed the group had departed from Kisaran, Indonesia on May 9, reportedly en route to multiple destinations in Malaysia including Penang, Terengganu, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
Authorities have deployed boats, a helicopter and surveillance aircraft in a search and rescue operation to locate those still missing.
All rescued individuals have been handed over to police for further investigation.
Malaysia continues to be a key destination for migrant workers from poorer parts of the region, many of whom enter the country without documentation to work in sectors such as construction and agriculture.
However, such journeys are often facilitated by human trafficking syndicates and are frequently dangerous, with small boats at risk of capsizing during sea crossings.
In a previous major incident, 36 migrants were reported dead in November 2025 after a boat capsized near the Thai–Malaysian maritime border.
