Indonesian police say they have arrested a woman believed to be responsible for the voyage of a boat that capsized, killing at least 20 people.
The speedboat was carrying around 90 Indonesian workers home from Malaysia when it capsized in stormy weather early Wednesday off the Indonesian island of Batam. Police say at least 20 people are dead and 39 have been rescued.
Police suspect that the trip was illegal and that the workers were undocumented because of the high fares that passengers said they paid.
Batam's police chief, Sambudi Gusdian, said an Indonesian woman believed to be responsible for the voyage was arrested as she tried to leave Batam for nearby Singapore.
A survivor of the boat capsizing in Indonesia says the vessel was so crowded that there was only standing room on board.
Haryanto, a 51-year-old survivor, said the speedboat capsized Wednesday morning amid heavy rains and high waves about two hours after it left Johor Bahru in Malaysia.
Indonesian police said at least 20 people died. Batam island police chief Sambudi Gusdian said about 90 people were on the vessel and 39 have been rescued so far.
The passengers are Indonesians who work in Malaysia.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)