KUALA LUMPUR: One person drowned while 14 others are missing after a Chinese sand-dredging vessel capsized off Malaysia's southern state of Johor on Wednesday, officials said.

Three Chinese crew members were rescued safely after authorities received reports that the JBB Rong Chang 8 had overturned in the waters of Parit Jawa, in Muar district, at 8.50 a.m. local time (0050 GMT), the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said in a statement.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing, with two patrol boats deployed, the agency said.

The Chinese-owned, Dominican-registered dredger was carrying one Malaysian, an Indonesian and 16 Chinese crew members.