13 Indonesian 'illegal immigrants' die at sea

KOTA TINGGI • Thirteen Indonesians, believed to be illegal immigrants, drowned after their long boat capsized in the South China Sea.

The victims, whose bodies washed ashore near Tanjung Balau beach in Kota Tinggi yesterday, were leaving Malaysia using an illegal route and were thought to have been heading to Batam, Indonesia.

The Malaysian authorities believe up to 35 people were on the boat, and have launched a search operation.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS

Debris found off Thai coast not from MH370

KUALA LUMPUR • A piece of suspected plane wreckage found off the coast of southern Thailand does not belong to the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet that disappeared almost two years ago, the Malaysian Transport Ministry said yesterday.

The debris does not match the Boeing 777 used on Flight MH370, and the part numbers found on the debris were not listed on the Malaysia Airlines parts catalogue manual, the ministry said in a statement following an investigation.

A large piece of curved metal washed ashore in Nakhon Si Thammarat province last Saturday, prompting speculation that it might belong to the missing plane, which disappeared with 239 people on board.

REUTERS

Pakistan uni to stay closed after attack

PESHAWAR • The Pakistani university attacked by Taleban militants in a deadly assault last week will be closed indefinitely until security is raised, as some teachers demanded weapons from the government.

Bacha Khan University staff and students met on Monday, after briefly reopening the campus in Charsadda, to review security. At least 200 students demonstrated outside the university to demand that the government protect them.

Four Pakistani Taleban gunmen killed 21 people at the school after scaling its walls and opening fire on Jan 20.

REUTERS