Seven foreigners rescued in Malaysia boat mishap

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 (Reuters) A boat carrying 11 people, including seven foreigners, capsized today in stormy seas off the island of Borneo and at least one Malaysian drowned, news agency Bernama said.

The seven foreigners -- four Australians and three Britons -- were rescued by villagers and fishermen, the news agency said, quoting a police officer. Two other Malaysians were also rescued. Sandakan police chief Mohamad Zain Yacob earlier told Reuters that seven people, including five foreign tourists, had been rescued.

One Malaysian died and one other Malaysian, a tour guide, was missing after the boat overturned at midday near the town of Sandakan on Borneo's east coast in the Malaysian state of Sabah, Bernama 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.

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