KOTA KINABALU: In an operation to combat fish bombing practices, police detained 10 people and conducted an inspection on 95 fishing boats in Semporna waters, up to yesterday.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said the operation was also aimed at searching for suspects involved in the fish bombing incident that killed two Chinese tourists and a diving instructor in the area last Friday.
He said the operation carried out by the Marine Police Force was done in the eastern waters of Sabah and also included the waters of Kunak and Lahad Datu districts.
“The 10 people detained have no identification documents and have been handed over to Semporna district police for further investigation.
“Investigations were done to find out if they were involved in fish bombing activities,” he told a press conference after the monthly assembly of the Sabah police contingent headquarters (IPK) here today.
The incident happened while the three victims were conducting scuba diving in the waters near Pulau Kalapuan.
Earlier, police detained two individuals, a boatman and his assistant, to facilitate in the investigation.
Omar said although no witnesses saw the incident, police investigations concluded that the cause of the death of the three victims was the fish bombing practice based on several factors.
He said those who were on the scene to help rescue the three victims found sea foams rising up the surface.
He also explained that dead fish and damaged corals were found in the area, as well as fragments of broken corals on the body of one of the Chinese victims.
In the meantime, he added, the post-mortem on the three victims will be conducted today at Tawau Hospital.
He said the victim’s families from China have arrived in Tawau to identify the bodies. — Bernama
