KUCHING, May 8 — The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) said today that searchers have recovered more fragments from the crashed helicopter, including the chopper’s tail boom and a cushion.

Director-general Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the tail boom was found 4km north east of Lingga while the cushion was picked up near Pulau Triso at the mouth of Sungai Batang Lupar.

Azharuddin said searchers are using metal detectors locate debris from the helicopter that crashed on Thursday with six people onboard.

DCA’s Azharuddin (in blue, wearing glasses) at the command centre for the search and rescue mission at Kuching International Airport May 8, 2016. — Picture by Kenneth Tee

“Today, search will cover 870km, around the areas of Sebuyau and Lingga,” he said.

The search and rescue mission is led by DCA, which is headquartered at the Aeronautical Rescue Sub Centre in Kuching.

Azharuddin said the assets deployed for today’s search include three helicopters, 20 boats and six land vehicles.

A total of 650 personnel, including 38 divers, from various enforcement agencies have been mobilised to search for the body of pilot Captain Rudolf Rex Ragas, a Filipino.

A piece of debris that was recovered from the scene of the helicopter crash in Lingga May 8, 2016. — Picture by Azinuddin Ghazali

The search and rescue mission resumed this morning at around 8am.

Ragas was piloting five others when the ill-fated chopper crashed on Thursday, shortly after leaving Betong for Kuching.

The bodies of the five — Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Noriah Kasnon, her husband Asmuni Abdullah, ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Sundaran Annamalai, Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Wan Mohamad Khairil Anuar Wan Ahmad and Noriah’s bodyguard Ahmad Sobri Harun — were discovered by searchers on Friday and yesterday.

Search team personnel carry debris recovered from the scene of the helicopter crash in Lingga May 8, 2016. — Picture by Azinuddin Ghazali