BODIES OF NINE AFGHAN MIGRANTS TO BE BURIED IN ROHIL

Pekanbaru, Riau, May 29 (ANTARA) - The bodies of nine Afghan immigrants who died in a boat mishap in Halang Island waters, Kubu subdistrict, Rokan Hilir (Rohil) district, Riau Province, were due to be buried in Rohil on Friday.

The local authorities would bear the cost of their funerals, Rohil Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Rohmad Nursaid said here on Friday.

"Because they are Muslims, they will be buried according to the Islamic traditions and it will be carried out after Friday mass prayers," he said.

The nine bodies after two-day searches conducted by local fishermen, Indonesian naval personnel and local officers, he said.

Their identities, however, were unknown because they did not bring any passports or other identity cards he said.

The boat carrying 36 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan capsized in the waters in Riau, Sumatra, on Thursday (May 28), leaving nine dead, 16 survived, and 11 others still missing.

Rohmad Nursaid said earlier that the incident occurred at around 06.30 in the Halang Island waters in the subdistrict of Kubu, Rokan Hilir.

"It is believed the boat capsized after hitting a pole of a fish trap set up in the Kubu Island waters. It is believed conditions at the time of incident were dark and the water area was covered by haze making the boat skipper unable to see the pole," he said.

"The survivors were discovered by fishermen floating in the sea," he said.

He said the dead victims had been evacuated to local hospital in Bagan Siapiapi around 30 minutes by sea from Kubu while the survivors mostly injured were treated in a health service center in Kubu.

The chief of a navy post in Rohil, second lieutenant Almufid said earlier, that according to survivors the boat carried the illegal immigrants from Malaysia. He said the wooden boat was believed to be over capacity.