Son of missing Singaporean kayaker confirms her death on social media

SINGAPORE — The son of missing Singaporean kayaker Josephine Puah Geok Tin, 57, has confirmed her death on social media.

In a Facebook post on Thursday (Aug 15), Mr Louis Pang, 23, wrote: "Dear Mummy, you've lead a wonderful and glorious life. You did what you love to do till the very end. Rest in Peace Mummy I love you."

Puah's body had been found clad in a safety jacket in waters off the Malaysian state of Terengganu on Wednesday by a fisherman.

She had gone missing on Aug 8 after setting off from Penyabong jetty near Mersing, Johor, with Mr Matthew Tan Eng Soon, 62. Puah and Mr Tan were there with a group of 13 other Singaporean kayakers, but reportedly drifted away from them.

Search efforts by Malaysian authorities began on Aug 10 and were ramped up two days later.

A green kayak and the personal belongings of Puah and Mr Tan were discovered on Tuesday by a fisherman off Kuantan, about 160km north of where the pair had first set out.

The search for Mr Tan is still ongoing.