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Maritime officials said Monday that they would end the search operations for more than 30 Indonesians missing in Malaysian waters as there is little chance to find any survivors.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) official Amran Daud was quoted by the state news agency Bernama as saying that the local rescue center made the decision after"analyzing various aspects, including that the air monitoring got no new signs that the remaining victims could be found in safe situation."
The boat carrying some 44 Indonesian nationals, believed to be illegal immigrants, sank off Malaysia's southern Johor state on the way to Indonesia's Batam Island on Thursday evening after being hit by strong waves.
The victims were heading home for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr celebration at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Only four passengers were rescued by local fishermen and maritime officers Friday after drifting more than 10 hours at sea.
Amran said the rescue efforts which involved 130 rescuers had failed to find any survivors since then.
By Monday afternoon, seven bodies were found, he said.
Boat accidents are not rare in the southern Malaysian waters as many Indonesian illegal workers and their families commute between the two countries. At least one was killed and several went missing after a boat overturned in the area in July.
