Rescue workers are still searching for at least three more children.

The bodies of two adult males were found about 6pm. One was recovered outside the port's limits while the other was within the vicinity of the port.

A total of 14 bodies have been recovered so far following the tragedy which occurred minutes after 140 Indonesians, mostly illegals, set sail for Indonesia on a barge which had been illegally converted to ferry passengers.

The barge, KM Saudara, had capsized about 7.30am near Pintu Gedong off Port Klang and 12 bodies, comprising 11 women and a man, were recovered shortly after the incident while more than 100 survivors were plucked from the sea.

The barge was initially used to ferry goods but because of the exodus home, it was illegally converted into a passenger boat.

It was on its way to Tanjung Balai when it capsized.

Authorities were reported as saying that the wooden barge was not built to carry passengers and there was not enough space even for 70 people.

A syndicate is believed to be responsible for the tragedy, having packed as many passengers as possible on the barge without paying heed to safety requirements.

The roofless barge was no bigger than 15 metres long and 3 metres wide; the syndicate forced passengers into every crevice, including the engine compartment.

Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said in Kuala Lumpur that overloading was the likely cause of the tragedy.

He said this was based on initial investigations but he would ask the Marine Department for a full report.

Earlier yesterday, the survivors, comprising 81 men, 21 women and a 14-month-old-baby, left for home on an Indonesian coastguard vessel, Saro Tama PP112, at 5.10pm. They were accompanied by Indonesian Embassy information counsellor Eka Suripto.

The journey to Tanjung Balai, Sumatra, was expected to take four hours.

Seven of the survivors are still in hospital.

"We will make arrangements to send them back as soon as they are fit to travel," Eka said.

Those who left received one-way passports from the embassy yesterday in the presence of Immigration Department enforcement director Datuk Ishak Mohamad.

The bodies of the victims who drowned would also be sent home after a post-mortem examination.

He said the missing infants were aged below 2, adding that the actual number of those still missing could not be ascertained as there was no passenger manifest.

Ishak said all the survivors had overstayed in Malaysia but the government had decided to allow them to leave for Indonesia without penalty, on humanitarian grounds.

He advised Indonesians who had overstayed in Malaysia to seek assistance from the Immigration Department instead of resorting to using illegal ferries to get home.

"They are welcome to see us and we will help them return home safely."

Many Indonesians are unaware that they only have to pay a fine before they are allowed to return home.

Those who overstay for six months are fined RM1,000 (S$418) while those who overstay for more than two years are fined RM2,000. The maximum fine is RM3,000.