Langkawi: Six more bodies of migrants, including a girl, believed to be from a boat carrying about 100 migrants that capsized yesterday along the Malaysia-Thai maritime border were found floating in Langkawi waters today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kedah and Perlis Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director First Admiral (M) Romli Mustafa stated that the discovery brings the total number of migrant deaths to seven so far, with 13 migrants safe, including three found today.

At 3.11 pm, the Langkawi Maritim Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Langkawi received a call about two men floating in the Kuala Muda Teriang area and they were subsequently rescued by local fishing boats. At 5 pm, the MMAE boat PETIR 81 found the body of a girl, while at 6.01 pm a Fisheries Department boat found a man who was alive and floating at sea. Five more bodies of women were found at two separate locations before they were all handed over to the police for further action, he said in a statement today.

He added that the search and rescue operation, which has been expanded to cover 170 square nautical miles, was suspended at 7 pm today and would resume tomorrow morning. The capsized boat was one of three boats allegedly carrying a total of about 300 migrants, and capsized off Pulau Tarutao.