The World - News from Aug. 9, 1989

Vietnamese “boat people” arriving at a refugee camp in Malaysia said pirates had attacked their craft, raping 15 women and throwing others overboard. At least 71 people were feared dead. The 13 survivors told U.N. refugee officials on the island of Bidong that they fled Vietnam in a group of 84 but were attacked by pirates in two fishing boats as they headed for Malaysian waters late Saturday. Workers on an oil platform off the Malaysian coast rescued three survivors and fishermen picked up the other 10. U.N. statistics show more than 70 refugee boats have been attacked by pirates since January, 1988, with more than 400 refugees either missing or presumed dead.