A POST-MORTEM has revealed that the death of three divers in Semporna last Friday was due to a bomb blast, police said.

Sabah police commissioner Omar Mammah said the divers suffered similar, massive internal injuries.

“The three victims had similar injuries –  fractured skull, broken ribs and internal bleeding in their abdomen, chest and lungs. The main aorta was also ripped,” he said today at the Kapayan police headquarters.

Such injuries are consistent with a bomb explosion, he said.

The post mortem was performed at the Tawau Hospital by pathologist Dr Jessie Hui from Kota Kinabalu. 

Twelve people, including the boatman, guide and sea gypsies in the area, have been detained so far by police who have classified the case as murder,

Ab Zainal Abdu, 30, and Chinese tourists Zhao Zhong, 26, and Xu Yingjie, 26, were killed last Friday while diving near Pulau Kalapan in Semporna. 

The deaths raised concerns that foreigners could be working as dive masters in Sabah without a permit. 

Deputy Chief Minister Jaujan Sambokong said he would bring the matter up with the state cabinet, after the local professional divers association called on the authorities to check if diving operators were hiring foreigners to work as dive masters. 

Meanwhile, news reports said the families of the deceased Chinese divers would cremate the bodies and scatter the ashes at the spot where they died.

The two men were close friends and IT graduates. They were both also the only child in the family.

Zhong’s father, Zhao Bao Hua said he and his wife needed to see their son one last time before cremation.

“My son’s ashes will be scattered into the sea at the location where his body was discovered,” he said yesterday.

Zainal’s father, Abdun Jamarun, said his son’s body would be buried in the Kampung Halo Muslim Cemetery. – July 10, 2019.