PORT KLANG, MALAYSIA - Strong winds and rough seas have hampered the Marine Department's efforts to remove the wreckage of the wooden barter trade boat that capsized near Pulau Pintu Gedong off Westport.

According to a Marine department spokesman the wreckage was drifting and needed to be removed as it posed a danger to other ships since Pulau Pintu Gedong was the entry point for vessels heading to Westport.

On Tuesday the barter trade boat bound for Tanjung Balai in Indonesia and believed to be illegally ferrying some 140 people capsized, killing at least 12 passengers.

"Our men are unable to tow the wreckage due to the currents, winds and rough seas.

"The weather condition now is on orange alert making it dangerous to salvage the boat, so we have to wait for a report from the Meteorological Department before sending in a team," he said.

He added that vessels coming in to Westport had been told to stay clear of the wreckage.

"We have two boats from the Selangor Marine Police to patrol the area around Pulau Pintu Gedong."

Meanwhile, Klang district police chief Asst Comm Mohamad Mat Yusop said the 125 Indonesians who were plucked out of the sea after the boat capsized were handed over to the Indonesian Embassy on Wednesday.

Of the 18 Indonesians who were admitted to hospital, six were discharged Wednesday afternoon.

They included one man, four women in their mid-20s and a 14-month old child, he said.