Malaysian authorities were to perform an autopsy Thursday on a body found on a resort island to determine whether it is that of a British tourist who went missing nine days ago on a jungle hike.
Gareth David Huntley, 34, disappeared on Tioman Island off the east coast of Malaysia on May 27, leading to a manhunt and rising concern in Britain, including from Prime Minister David Cameron.
Rescuers found a body Wednesday on the banks of a small stream less than 100 metres (yards) from a sea turtle conservation site where Huntley had volunteered.
Speculation has so far centred on whether Huntley had suffered a fatal mishap in the island's rugged hills.
Authorities have given no indication yet whether foul play was suspected in the death of the unidentified person.
Sharifuddin Ghani, the police chief of Pahang state where Tioman is located, said the body was in reasonable condition but that the head had partly decomposed as it had been submerged in water.
"We have yet to determine whether the body is Gareth David Huntley," he told reporters.
Asked if the body could have washed downstream from the interior -- since search teams had earlier looked in the same spot without finding anything -- he said, "It's possible. But we will do the investigation."
Sharifuddin said it was "difficult to say" whether there were any injuries to the body until the autopsy is completed.
The corpse has been taken to a hospital on the mainland near Tioman for the autopsy. Officials have not indicated when the results will be released.
Huntley's mother Janet Southwell and his girlfriend Kit Natariga arrived at the hospital Thursday to help in identifying the body, the New Straits Times daily reported.
Neither Southwell nor other relatives could be reached by AFP.
On Wednesday, Natariga had posted on her Facebook page: "Stay strong honey. We will find you."
Malaysia deployed dozens of rescue personnel on the popular resort island in recent days after Huntley's family and friends urged authorities to step up the search, including by setting up a Facebook page to publicise the case.
Cameron's office said he discussed the case with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak on Monday and offered British assistance in the search.
Malaysia's government has been stung by international criticism over its response to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, with many relatives of the 239 people aboard saying it was too slow and lacked transparency.
In a previous case on Tioman, French tourist Stephanie Foray went missing on the island in May 2011. Her remains were found three months later, buried in a cave.
A Malaysian shopkeeper pleaded not guilty the following year to charges that he murdered the woman after she spurned his sexual advances. His trial is continuing.
Violent crime against foreigners in Malaysia remains relatively rare.
Malaysian authorities were to perform an autopsy Thursday on a body found on a resort island to determine whether it is that of a British tourist who went missing nine days ago on a jungle hike.
Gareth David Huntley, 34, disappeared on Tioman Island off the east coast of Malaysia on May 27, leading to a manhunt and rising concern in Britain, including from Prime Minister David Cameron.
Rescuers found a body Wednesday on the banks of a small stream less than 100 metres (yards) from a sea turtle conservation site where Huntley had volunteered.
Speculation has so far centred on whether Huntley had suffered a fatal mishap in the island’s rugged hills.
Authorities have given no indication yet whether foul play was suspected in the death of the unidentified person.
Sharifuddin Ghani, the police chief of Pahang state where Tioman is located, said the body was in reasonable condition but that the head had partly decomposed as it had been submerged in water.
“We have yet to determine whether the body is Gareth David Huntley,” he told reporters.
Asked if the body could have washed downstream from the interior — since search teams had earlier looked in the same spot without finding anything — he said, “It’s possible. But we will do the investigation.”
Sharifuddin said it was “difficult to say” whether there were any injuries to the body until the autopsy is completed.
The corpse has been taken to a hospital on the mainland near Tioman for the autopsy. Officials have not indicated when the results will be released.
Huntley’s mother Janet Southwell and his girlfriend Kit Natariga arrived at the hospital Thursday to help in identifying the body, the New Straits Times daily reported.
Neither Southwell nor other relatives could be reached by AFP.
On Wednesday, Natariga had posted on her Facebook page: “Stay strong honey. We will find you.”
Malaysia deployed dozens of rescue personnel on the popular resort island in recent days after Huntley’s family and friends urged authorities to step up the search, including by setting up a Facebook page to publicise the case.
Cameron’s office said he discussed the case with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak on Monday and offered British assistance in the search.
Malaysia’s government has been stung by international criticism over its response to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, with many relatives of the 239 people aboard saying it was too slow and lacked transparency.
In a previous case on Tioman, French tourist Stephanie Foray went missing on the island in May 2011. Her remains were found three months later, buried in a cave.
A Malaysian shopkeeper pleaded not guilty the following year to charges that he murdered the woman after she spurned his sexual advances. His trial is continuing.
Violent crime against foreigners in Malaysia remains relatively rare.
