Overloaded express boat capsizes in East Malaysia

An overloaded express boat carrying more 100 passengers capsized in Malaysia's Borneo state of Sarawak on Tuesday, local media reported.

The express boat was making a 40-minute trip in Rajang River when it crashed onto a rock and sunk, state news agency Bernama reported.

A local district council member was quoted as saying that many passengers, most of whom are timber and oil palm plantation workers, were sitting on the boat roof as the official load capacity of the vessel was for 67 seated passengers.

Many passengers were able to swim ashore after the accident, the councilor added.

There are no confirmed casualties yet, but a local assemblyman who organized the rescue at the scene told the Star newspaper that there were people trapped in the boat, according to the survivors.