Missing diver Karen Chong’s body found by fishermen

Marine Police personnel carry Chong’s body up the Telaga Air jetty. — Photo by Roystein Emmor

KUCHING (April 20): The body of missing diver Karen Chong, 31, was found about 52km from her last known location today.

MMEA Sarawak deputy director of operations Capt Yousry Yaali said local fishermen spotted Chong’s body  around 9am about 16.4 nautical miles north of Tanjung Po.

Yousri points to where Chong’s body was found. — Photo by Roystein Emmor

”It is believed that the victim had drifted at a distance of 32 nautical miles or 52km from the last position she solo-dived.

“They then contacted the SAR (search and rescue) team who were around the location during that time,” he told a press conference at the Telaga Air jetty today.

Chong’s body was later brought to Lundu Hospital at around 1pm for a post-mortem.

Chong’s family members and acquaintances are accompanied by MMEA personnel and police as they head towards the Telaga Air jetty. — Photo by Roystein Emmor

An initial identification by family members confirmed the body’s identity as it was still clad in a wet suit and Chong’s watch was also still on her wrist.

Yousri said the search area from the first to the fifth day of operations today covered ​​1,630 square nautical miles and involved 207 SAR personnel.

The search at sea covered waters around Pulau Satang Besar involving two maritime assets, three marine police assets, a team of divers, and two Fire and Rescue Department assets.

The air search was conducted by the Police Air Unit aircraft and drone assets from the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM).

The SAR operation officially ended at 1.35pm.

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