Malaysia inquest into Irish girl jungle death

A Malaysian court opened an inquest on Monday into the death of an Irish teenager whose body was found near a jungle stream, 10 days after she went missing during a family holiday at a rainforest resort.

The naked body of 15-year-old Nora Anne Quoirin, who suffered from learning difficulties, was found in a ravine near the Dusun resort in Seremban, about 70 km south of the Malaysian capital in August last year.

Police ruled out abduction as a motive, saying they'd found no sign of foul play, but her family questioned the findings and said she had never before left them voluntarily.

The coroner said the inquest aimed to answer questions including exactly when and where she died and whether any person was criminally concerned in the cause of death.

Quoirin was from London and had an Irish mother and French father.

The family will not attend the inquest but the hearing is being streamed online.

Authorities had previously said an autopsy established that Quoirin had died from internal bleeding, probably caused by prolonged hunger and stress.

She had suffered intestinal damage and died two or three days before her body was found, officials said.

The forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy found some small scratches on her legs but ruled that they would not have contributed to her death, police said.

The family feared a criminal connection to the disappearance, saying she had special needs and had never before left them voluntarily.

The inquest is due to last two weeks.