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Malaysia's Air Force is part of the rescue effort

Search and rescue officials believed the death toll from Friday's earthquake at Mount Kinabalu is 19 with the recovery of 17 bodies on top of the mountain on Saturday.

The officials said they did not expect any more bodies to be found as all the missing climbers have been accounted for.

The first bodies - of mountain trainer Robbie Sapinggi, 31, and 12-year-old Singapore student Wee Ying Peony - were found and taken down to the base camp at Sabah Parks on Friday evening.

The officials said the bodies were being winched by helicopters and being flown to Kota Kinabalu.

They said three of the bodies were flown to the Queen Elizabath Hospital at about 4pm, and other bodies are expected to be taken in batches.

As of 4pm Saturday, Ranau police chief Deputy Supt Mohd Farhan Lee said they have recovered 13 bodies.

"The search is still on for six more," he told reporters.

Among those killed were 10 students of Tanjong Katong Primary School in Singapore.

The nationalities and identities of those killed will be released after post mortem.