JOHOR BARU: Two more bodies were pulled out from the sea near Tanjung Piai where a boat ferrying Indonesian immigrants home for Hari Raya capsized on Monday night.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) search and rescue team recovered the bodies 3.5 nautical mile southeast of Tanjung Piai at noon.
The rescue was also assisted by an Indonesia goods transfer boat (barter trade boat).
In a statement, Johor Baru MMEA enforcement chief Captain Aminuddin Abd Rashid said initial investigation revealed that there were 72 passengers on board the capsized boat.
The search stopped at 7pm and will resume 7am tomorrow.
"We will resume the search for the missing seven victims and will also intensify our watch in our effort to stop further illegal entry and exit of immigrants," he said.
A total of 61 immigrants, comprising 52 men and nine women were rescued.
In the 11.30pm incident, the boat ferrying more than 70 passengers capsized after it was involved in a collision with a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) patrolling boat.
Two passengers , a man and a woman drowned in the incident while some who fell of the boat were rescued.