SEREMBAN: Malaysian police will conduct an investigation to find out the cause of death and the identity of the dead body found by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) on Tuesday during a search and rescue operation for missing sailors of the American Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain.

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said following the discovery of the body, the US Seventh Fleet confirmed that the body was not that of any of the missing sailors.

“The body was handed over to us and it is our responsibility to investigate the identity and cause of death of any body found in our national waters.

“Perhaps the person did not die within our national boundaries and the body was swept away to our waters. However, we still need to investigate,” he told reporters after a working visit to the Negeri Sembilan state police contingent here today.

Meanwhile, in its latest update, the US Seventh Fleet confirmed the discovery of the body of 22-year-old Kenneth Aaron Smith, from New Jersey, a Class 3 electronics engineer onboard the USS John S. McCain which collided with a merchant ship, Alnic MC, in the waters off Teluk Ramunia, Kota Tinggi, Johor, at 5.30am on Monday.

In the collision, five sailors were injured and 10 others fell into the sea and went missing.