He said police are conducting an investigation to determine the cause of Khairil Azhar Kamaruddin’s death, and evaluating training procedures, the equipment and other “health and safety factors”.

“The officer was given emergency treatment at the location of the incident before he was brought to Semporna Hospital. However, he was confirmed to have died while receiving treatment.

“The police force records their deepest condolences and sympathies to Inspector Khairil’s family,” he said in a statement.

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also expressed his condolences in a Facebook post this evening, calling Khairil’s death a “great loss to the police and home ministry”.

Earlier, Harian Metro reported that Khairil, a troop commander in his 40s based in Ulu Kinta, Perak, died after becoming unconscious during a diving exercise in Pulau Mataking at 10.25am today.