MENUMBOK, Dec. 5 -- A passenger boat travelling from Menumbok to Labuan caught fire at about 3pm yesterday, forcing those on board to swim to safety.

District police chief Wong Leong Ming said the boat had departed Menumbok at around 2.45pm before the blaze was believed to have started near Labuan waters.

He said all passengers managed to save themselves by heading towards Pulau Batu Labuan, where they were later assisted before lodging a report at the Labuan police station.

A witness, Ahmad Said, said the boat belonged to his brother and usually carried many passengers, adding that they were relieved everyone escaped unharmed.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) later extinguished the fire, while the cause of the inciden...