KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-five people, mostly Chinese tourists have been rescued after their boat sank off Malaysia's Sabah state on North Borneo, officials said Sunday.
Shahidan Kassim, a minister in the Prime Minister's Department, told a press conference that 23 people were rescued by tug boats and fishermen.
The skipper and a crew member were rescued earlier on Sunday.
The boat went missing on Saturday when travelling from Kota Kinabalu, the state capital, to Pulau Mengalum, a popular tourist island, 60 km west to Kota Kinabalu. A total of 31 people were on board, including 28 tourists from China and three crew members.
The Consulate General's Office of China based in Kota Kinabalu said the newly rescued survivors would be brought to the nearby Labuan island for medical check-up.
Shahidan said Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, maritime police as well as Malaysian navy and airforce have joined the search efforts.
