'Undocumented migrants used aircraft navigation lights to enter Langkawi waters'
Hundreds of Rohingya refugees who entered the country's waters in June are believed to be using the aircraft navigation lights on Gunung Mat Cincang as a guide to land on Langkawi.
Langkawi Region One Marine Police Force commanding officer Rohizan Mohamad Said said the navigation lights helped undocumented migrants find land when they entered the country's waters at night as the situation at sea is very dark at the time...
Hundreds of Rohingya refugees who entered the country's waters in June are believed to have used the aircraft navigation lights on Gunung Mat Cincang as a guide to land on Langkawi.
Langkawi Region One Marine Police Force commanding officer Rohizan Mohamad Said said the navigation lights helped undocumented migrants find land when they entered the country's waters at night as the situation at sea is very dark at the time.
“Therefore, boat skippers who bring in undocumented migrants will be looking for the navigation lights before making landings on the coast.
“The navigation lights at the top of the mountain are very important for pilots as it shows that the area is mountainous, besides having cable cars, thus avoiding any untoward incidents,” he told Bernama in an exclusive media coverage with the National Task Force.
Rohizan said the navigation lights would bring undocumented migrants to Teluk Nibong, near a five-star hotel located off the coast.
Commenting on the discovery of the undocumented migrants, Rohizan said this was the second time they had landed in the same bay as the area was near to the navigation lights.
“I understand that the undocumented migrants have been at sea for four months and the marine police received preliminary information from fisherfolk who spotted a suspicious-looking foreign ship entering the country’s waters.
“Upon receiving the information, marine police tracked a boat found almost 500 metres from the bay and found some of the undocumented migrants jumping overboard into the sea along with the skipper and swimming towards the mainland,” he said.
On June 8, Bernama reported that 269 Rohingyas were arrested for trying to enter Langkawi. The authorities also found the body of a woman on board the boat ferrying the undocumented migrants.
- Bernama
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.