More than 300 firefighters and 39 ambulances were deployed to rescue a total of 129 people who went “frost-chasing” on Hong Kong’s highest mountain on Sunday, the coldest day we’ve seen in 59 years.
In a joint press conference yesterday, the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Government Flying Service and the Civil Aid Service said they received their first call for assistance from Tai Mo Shan at an eye-watering 5:19am on Sunday morning.
By 7am the FSD had received many more distress calls, promoting them to upgrade the situation to a “multiple casualties incident”.
Ambulances and fire fighters were deployed to find those suffering from hypothermia and injuries, while personnel from the Mountain Search and Rescue Company took blankets and hot drinks to those lost and cold on the peak.
A total of 67 people had to be taken to hospital, with helicopters making eight flights throughout the day.
The Assistant Director (New Territories) of Fire Services, Yau Wai-keung, said, “Because the weather turned bad quickly, strong wind, low temperature and heavy rain made some parts of the hillside frozen and increased rescue difficulties.”
“It’s like they went surfing in a storm,” added Wat Kit-on of the Fire Services Department.
Many Hong Kong netizens have slammed the actions of the frost-hunters as selfish and dangerous, with particular scorn poured onto one hiker who was filmed arguing with police who told her not to go up the mountain.
