KOTA KINABALU: Explosives believed to be used to make fish bombs along with 150kg of fish were seized from a boat by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

       Sabah and Labuan Maritime director First Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said MMEA spotted five men near Pulau Gaya at about 12.30am yesterday.

       “When our men approached the boat, the suspects jumped into the sea and swam to shore before disappearing into the night,” he said.

       “A forensics test on some of the fish found that their organs were crushed,” he said.

       “This is consistent with fish caught using the bombing method.”

       A manhunt is on for the suspects.

       He reminded the maritime community to refrain from using illegal fishing methods, including explosives.

       There have been reports of injuries and deaths due to suspected fish bombing over the years in Sabah.

       Dive instructor Ab Zainal Abdu, 30, was killed by fish bombs alongside two China tourists during a dive in Semporna on July 5, 2019.