KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — The group of hikers who discovered Nora Quoirin’s body on Tuesday said they found her in a pose that resembled a person asleep.

Sharing the traumatic discovery, one of the hikers told UK tabloid The Daily Mail that they spotted the Irish teen beside a stream with her head on her hands.

"It looked like she was sleeping, but we all knew she was dead,” he was quoted as saying, adding that two women in his group broke into tears upon seeing Quoirin.

"We did not approach but stood about 15 metres away and our team leader called the police. I could see the body.”

A man takes part in the search and rescue operation for missing 15-year-old Franco-Irish girl Nora Anne Quoirin in the jungle near Seremban August 13, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

According to the police previously, the hiking team notified the official search-and-rescue operations at 1.57pm on Tuesday, with authorities reaching the site around 30 minutes later.

The body was removed using a helicopter and later confirmed to be that of Quorin who went missing from The Dusun resort near Seremban on August 4.

An autopsy was conducted at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital in Seremban yesterday but the results have yet to be released.

A police helicopter arrives to retrieve a body that was found in the jungle near Seremban August 13, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

While the police previously declined to comment on the condition of the body, Yeap told the UK outlet that Quoirin appeared unharmed.

"There were some scratches on her arm and some bruises but otherwise there were no injuries,” he said.

No elements of foul play have yet emerged in the tragedy but French authorities have pre-emptively opened a criminal investigation into her case for kidnapping; Quoirin is of Irish-French descent as her father is from France.

Nora’s mother, Meabh Quoirin (centre) with her husband, Sebastian Quoirin (left) at the Pantai police station making the announcement. — Bernama pic

Yesterday, the Quoirins’ lawyer here, Sankara N. Nair, said it was the attorney general’s prerogative to order an inquest into her death but noted that sudden death cases typically result in one.

He also welcomed the French investigation and expressed hope that Malaysian police would assist in this.

Quoirin, a 15-year-old with special needs, had gone missing from the resort where her family had been residing for their holiday here.

This triggered a massive SAR operation involving hundreds of personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), General Operations Force, and the Federal Reserve Unit.

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

A police truck is seen at The Dusun in Kampung Baru Pantai, Seremban August 14,2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri