Member of Parliament for Bintulu Dato' Seri Tiong King Sing, who chartered the aircraft from Sabah, also deployed two speed boats from Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party's (SPDP) Service Centre here to help Marine Police in the operation.

"We have to leave the area around 4.30pm as the sea started to get choppy," Tiong told a press conference.

A group of local pressmen accompanied Tiong in the five-hour search at the sea as far as Kuala Sibuti.

He extended his sympathy to parents, relatives and friends of the four girls, aged between 15 and 19, and said he understood their feelings.

Tiong, however, refuted their claims that relevant authorities had been slow in their rescue operation as Marine Police mounted the search operation after a police report was made at 3am on 19 August, that was nine hours after the girls were alleged to have disappeared after being hit by a huge wave.

He said Marine Police conducted the search between Bintulu and Kuala Suai and up to 10 nautical miles from the shore.

He assured that a helicopter would be chartered from Sabah today to beef up the search and rescue operation.

He also urged the residents of longhouses and villages along coast, as well as cargo vessel operators to help in the operation.

Tiong was puzzled as why the girls had come to an isolated spot and not to the beach at Similajau National Park or Tanjong Batu beach, which are tourist attractions.

He urged the girls' parents to extend their full cooperation to the police and other relevant authorities.

"Police have the right to carry out investigation pertaining to the case."

Tiong also mentioned that he would discuss with the relevant authorities for the possibility of deploying divers to check if bodies were trapped in between the rocks near where they were last spotted.

Three of the girls were from Perak while the other, Kuala Lumpur. Another girl managed to swim to safety after they were hit by a huge wave.