After more than 10 hours, cause of Nora Quoirin’s death still unknown; autopsy to continue tomorrow (VIDEO)

SEREMBAN, Aug 14 — Nora Quoirin's cause of death will not be known today as pathologists are still conducting a post-mortem on her body which was retrieved yesterday from a jungle near The Dusun resort.

Negri Sembilan police deputy chief SAC Che Zakaria Othman, during a brief press conference in front of the forensics department at  the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital here, said authorities will not be able to confirm the cause of her death tonight.

“The post-mortem is still not done... until now (8.19pm).

“So we haven’t received the cause of death. I cannot confirm until what time the post-mortem, led by a senior pathologist from Hospital Kuala Lumpur, together with a doctor from the hospital here and a team from the Petaling Jaya Chemistry department, will go on.

“They are still conducting the post-mortem.

"So I can only share this much at this moment,” he said.

Zakaria said the police will have another press conference tomorrow.

“I have received instructions by the state police chief to give another press statement tomorrow, the time will be informed tomorrow,” he said.

A team from Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s pathology department leaves the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital in Seremban August 14, 2019. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

The senior pathologist and remaining forensics personnel were later seen leaving around 9.30pm.

Meanwhile Zakaria also confirmed that investigators are still combing the area where 15-year-old Nora’s body was found for clues and evidence that can shed more light into her disappearance.

About 80 to 100 foreign and local media were waiting at the entrance of the forensics department here since 8am after the police said they might be able to share the initial findings from the autopsy conducted.

A team of four personnel from the Chemistry Department was entering the hospital at 9.28am.

Separately, a team of police officers from the United Kingdom and Ireland was spotted around the search area.

Lawyer Sankara N. Nair earlier today said that he would independently contact Attorney General (AG) Tommy Thomas for an inquest into Nora’s death if the post-mortem examination provides evidence to support this.

The lawyer representing the teen’s family here said they were awaiting the results of the ongoing medical examination before deciding the next course of action.

Sankara said the family was distraught after they confirmed the body discovered yesterday was that of their 15-year-old daughter with special needs who had gone missing on August 4.

When asked why he was only engaged now after the discovery of the body, the lawyer clarified that he has been retained from the day after the teen disappeared.

The Quoirin family separately issued a statement thanking authorities and search-and-rescue operatives for their efforts in locating their daughter but said they were heartbroken by her death.

The teen’s body was discovered yesterday just 2km from the resort, in an area that police said was previously covered by searchers.

The police from Malaysia, the UK and Ireland are standing by in case the post-mortem results in findings of foul play.