KOTA KINABALU, July 5 — Two Chinese tourists and their local divemaster are believed to be killed by fish bombs while diving in waters off Semporna in Sabah’s east coast earlier today. 

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah confirmed the deaths but said investigators are still gathering information over the incident. 

"The incident happened, but we don’t have witnesses who can confirm that they heard fish bombs go off. We are still investigating,” said Omar in a Whatsapp message.

It is believed that the local divemaster was underwater with the two male Chinese tourists on a scuba dive at about 5pm when the incident took place happened.

There are posts in social media that claim there were several fishing boats operated by sea gypsies near where the three divers were killed during the incident.

China’s Deputy Consul General in Kota Kinabalu, Zhang He, confirmed that two of their nationals had died in the incident.

Former Sabah tourism, culture and environment minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the news was shocking and bad for the state.

"It’s not good for our image. This is a wake-up call for the enforcement agencies to double their effort to put down this menace,” he said.