Ten bodies washed up on shore near Mersing today after a boat believed to be carrying illegal immigrants from Batam, Indonesia, capsized in the waters of Tanjung Rhu, police said.

Mersing police chief DSP Cyril Edward Nuing said the bodies of the four men and six women were found following the incident at about 4am when the boat capsized after being hit by strong waves.

Cyril said two people - a man and woman aged 28 and 20 respectively - were found alive.

"We believe there are other survivors but they must have gone into hiding," he told reporters.

He said the bodies were sent to the Sultan Ismail Hospital in Johor Baru while the survivors were taken for treatment at the Tenggaroh Health Clinic.

The police, Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Malaysian Armed Forces launched a joint search-and-rescue operation, but had to call it off due to the rain and strong waves, he said.

MMEA South Maritime Region deputy director Capt (maritime) Saiful Lizan Ibrahim said in a statement that local fishermen informed them of the incident at about 9am and the SAR mission was launched immediately.

"The incident could have resulted from an overloaded boat unable to withstand the bad weather and rough sea," he said.

- Bernama