JOHOR BARU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Two people drowned and 19 are missing after a boat carrying some 80 illegal immigrants collided with a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) vessel in Tanjung Piai waters and capsized.

The MMEA was in the midst of conducting an operation to nab illegals when the incident occurred around 1.33am on Tuesday.

It is learnt that the boat was ferrying the illegals to Indonesia.

Two bodies have been recovered and 10 of those saved were sent to the nearest hospital.

MMEA has launched a search-and-rescue mission to locate the missing passengers