A body believed to be that of the pilot of the ill-fated Eurocopter AS350 helicopter was discovered at about 10.45am today.

However, officials declined to confirm whether the body is that of the Filipino pilot Captain Rudolph Rex Ragas, saying it would have to wait till a post-mortem and identification are done.

Sarawak police chief Abdul Aziz Yusof said at a press conference the last body arrived at the search and rescue base at the Lingga Jetty at about 11.05am.

While he believed this was the remains of Ragas, the sixth and final victim to be recovered from the crash, he said official confirmation would have to wait until verification by the hospital.

The helicopter crashed at Sungai Batang Lupar last Thursday evening, killing Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Noriah Kasnon and Kuala Kangsar MP Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad.

The tragedy just before the Sarawak state election also took the lives of Noriah's husband Asmuni Abdullah, Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry secretary-general Sundaran Annamalai and Noriah's bodyguard Ahmad Sobri Harun.

Abdul Aziz said although all bodies had been found, the search and rescue operation will resume to find the wreckage of the helicopter.

[More to follow]