Malaysian coast guard said Monday that a search and rescue operation was launched after a boat carrying dozens of people sank off its shore.

So far 25 were rescued and one was found dead, out of the 44 illegal immigrants that the boat was believed to be carrying, said Abu Bakar bin Idris, head of Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in the southern Johor state.

The boat capsized some 6.5 nautical miles east of Tanjung Balau, Johor early Monday. It was believed to be originated from Batam, Indonesia, said Abu Bakar.

The search and rescue operation was launched after MMEA received notification that workers of nearby oil rig saw two people at sea.

Some 150 rescue people from the Malaysian navy, the maritime police and other departments were involved in the search and rescue operation, Abu Bakar said.