The Malaysian Insight

SABAH police are increasing offshore patrols to monitor fishing fleets for the use of fish bombs following the death of death of three divers in Semporna yesterday, Sabah Police Commissioner Omar Mammah said today.

According to Omar, police were still tracking the culprits behind the incident that killed two Chinese nationals and a Semporna-born dive master off Kapaluan Island in Semporna, yesterday.

“There were no witnesses to the incident and no one has been detained,” said Omar, adding that only small boats were spotted near the diving spot where the three divers were killed.

Police are treating the case as a murder enquiry.

Omar admitted that it was not easy to find the fishermen who used fish bombs, because they did so when there were no authorities on patrol.

“It is also tough to secure the waters off the east coast of Sabah due to its vast size,” he said.

Omar appealed to the public with any information about the incident to come forward to assist the police with their enquiries.

The three divers were killed when a fish bomb exploded underwater near them at 4pm yesterday.

Police determined that an explosion had caused their deaths due to the presence of many dead fish and destroyed coral at the scene, 5.8m below the surface.

The divers’ equipment was also damaged.

The victims have been identified as Ab Zainal Abdul, 30, Zhao Zhong, 26, and Xu Yingjie, 26. – July 6, 2019.