Task force commander Brig-Gen Abdul Karim Ahmad said a military aircraft spotted three boats moving from Pulau Sitangkai in the Philippines towards Bangau-Bangau, Semporna, before alerting the Malaysia Maritime Command Centre for further action.

“A Royal Malaysian Navy patrol vessel, KD Baung, which was near the location, was sent to monitor the three boats.

“However, one of the boats escaped after realising the presence of fast interceptor craft, Tim QRF (quick reactionary force), which was mobilised to intercept the boats,” he said in a statement today.

Karim said checks on the two boats found 14 men, 10 women and 18 children without any valid travel documents.

“The boats were turned away from Sabah waters while the fast interceptor craft and a navy Special Forces team were deployed to track down the escaped boat,” he added.

According to him, task force operations will continue to be conducted to ensure the safety of the country’s borders and curb cross-border crime as well as the spread of Covid-19.