Foreign tourists rescued in Malaysia boat mishap

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 (Reuters) A boat carrying 10 people, including five foreigners, capsized today in stormy seas off the island of Borneo and at least one Malaysian drowned, a Malaysian police official said.

''We have rescued seven people, including five foreign tourists,'' Sandakan police chief Mohamad Zain Yacob told Reuters by telephone.

The foreigners comprised Australians and Britons, another policeman said, but he did not have any more details.

One Malaysian drowned and two other Malaysians were still missing after the boat overturned near the town of Sandakan on Borneo's east coast in the Malaysian state of Sabah, Mohamad Zain said.

The tourists, on an adventure holiday in Sabah, were on their way back from the resort island of Libaran, two hours by boat from Sandakan, when they ran into strong waves and heavy rains.

REUTERS SSC RK1445