SEREMBAN, Malaysia: Malaysian police on Tuesday found a body that seems likely to be an Irish teenager who went missing from a jungle resort in the Southeast Asian country 10 days ago, a trust working with the girl’s family said.
Fifteen-year-old Nora Anne Quoirin, who suffered learning difficulties, was reported missing on Aug. 4 after her family arrived at the Dusun resort in Seremban, 44 miles south of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
“The Lucie Blackman Trust can confirm a body has been found in the search,” the British victims’ aid group said in a statement.
“At this time we cannot confirm it is Nora. However it sadly seems likely. Investigations are underway to confirm identity and cause of death.”
Police confirmed the search had turned up a body, with images in a Reuters video showing a man leading police to the site, about 2 km from the resort.
“We have not confirmed whose body it is,” Mohamad Mat Yusop, the police chief of Negeri Sembilan, where the resort is located, told reporters.
The body, with “white skin,” was still intact and a police forensic and pathology team was working on identifying it, he added.
The incident drew worldwide attention and support for the family, from former world chess champion Garry Kasparov among others.
An anonymous Belfast-based business donated a reward of $11,953 for information leading to the girl’s rescue.
Malaysian sharmans and police from Britain, Irish and French were among those drafted in to assist.