Authorities in Malaysia have suspended the search for the occupants of an illegal migrant boat that sank off the country's west coast earlier this month.
The boat was reportedly carrying 39 people when it sank off Pangkor Island in Perak State on May 11.
Only 23 who were on the boat were eventually rescued. The survivors were later handed over to local police for processing.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) then conducted an extensive search operation to attempt to locate the 16 other people who were on the boat. However, as the search effort entered its sixth day on Saturday, May 16, the MMEA ordered that the effort be suspended.
Mohamad Shukri Khotob, MMEA Perak Director, said an initial investigation revealed that the boat had departed from Kisaran in Indonesia's North Sumatra Province on May 9, and that the migrants had planned to enter Malaysia illegally via various destinations including Selangor, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysian officials initially said there were 37 people on the boat. That number was increased to 39 after a survivor recounted that there were actually 16 and not 14 people who have gone missing.
