A Hong Kong firefighter has lost his life after a mission to rescue missing hikers went awry.
Principal firefighter Yau Siu-ming, 50, passed away at around 5pm, 11 hours after he fell into a coma, RTHK reports. He had slipped and hit his head whilst on a mission to rescue two lost hikers in Ma On Shan.
At 6:56pm yesterday, a 32-year-old airport security worker called police to say he and a female colleague, 30, had got lost while hiking in low visibility conditions in Ma On Shan Country Park. Around 250 firefighters and five Government Flying Services helicopters were deployed to the area by 7:06pm, but the hikers were not discovered until around 1:30am, at Tiu Shau Ngam.
The mountain ridge is famed as a hiking hotspot, but is unsuitable for beginner hikers due to its steep and rocky trail.
Yau fell eight metres down a slope and hit his head at around 5:30am. The Fire Services Department told Oriental Daily that Yau’s colleagues had difficulties reaching him due to the mountainous terrain and foggy, rainy conditions, and had to walk four kilometres to find him. The 50-year-old was carried downhill in a coma and was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital at 4pm with serious head injuries, SCMP reports.
Yau was declared dead later that afternoon. He is survived by his wife and six-year-old child. He first joined the FSD in 1987, and was transferred to Tin Sum Fire Station eight years ago.
The two hikers escaped the ordeal with only minor injuries, and were taken to hospital for treatment.
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