A female body and some parts of debris from a missing helicopter carrying senior government officials were discovered in Malaysia's Sarawak state on North Borneo, officials said on Friday.

The helicopter carrying six people lost contact with air controls some 20 minutes after taking off Thursday afternoon on the way to state capital of Kuching. Search and rescue operations were subsequently launched.

Prime Minister Najib Razak told a press conference that parts of the missing AS350 helicopter were found near a river, including a rotation device, a seat, part of the door and part of the rotor blade. The six people on board had yet to be found, he said.

Najib confirmed that senior government officials including Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Noriah Kasnon were onboard.

Search and rescue team retrieved the body of a woman around noon in the area where debris were found earlier, said Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department director Nor Hisham Mohammad.

The cause of the incident remains unclear.

Najib is among leaders from both the ruling coalition as well as the opposition who have been actively campaigned in Sarawak for the state legislation election on Saturday, which is widely considered as a significant indicator for the next general election due in 2018.

Source: XINHUA