KUCHING: Rescuers have found the body of Chong Su Sian who was reported missing during a diving activity last Saturday.
MMEA Sarawak deputy director of operations Captain Yousry Yaali said the body of the 31-year-old diver was found afloat by a fisherman at a distance of 16.4 nautical miles north of Tanjung Po around 9.30am this morning.
The location is about 52km away from the diving site where she was last seen.
The body was brought to Telaga Air Waterfront Jetty for the family to verify and later taken to Lundu Hospital for post mortem.
“We have received reports from a fisherman stating that he has found an object suspected of being a body at approximately 32 nautical miles from the last position the victim is believed to be missing and approximately 16.4 nautical miles north of Tanjung Po.
“The body was found in the area of the search perimeter,” Yousry told a press conference at Telaga Air Jetty today.
Yousry pointed out that the victim was found fully clothed in her wetsuit and her wristwatch was also intact.
However, he said that the diving equipment including the oxygen tank used by the victim was nowhere to be found.
He added that the five-day search and rescue (SAR) operation had covered an area of 1,630 square nautical miles with 207 personnel from various agencies involved.
“The search was conducted around the waters of Pulau Satang Besar involving two MMEA assets, three Marine Police assets, with a team of divers and two State Fire and Rescue Department assets at sea.
“While the search by air was conducted by the Police Air Wing Unit assets and Civil Defence Force drones,” Yousry said.
The SAR operation was called off at 1.35pm today following the discovery.
