The second hiker in less than a week has died after falling off a difficult trail, according to reports.
Lee Chuk-ching fell from a spot known as Suicide Cliff on Kowloon Peak while hiking with about a dozen friends on Wednesday, wrote the SCMP.
Authorities were notified of the accident at about 1:15pm and initial investigations suggested the 48-year-old married woman had lost her footing and fell more than 10 meters.
The SCMP quoted a police spokesperson as saying the woman suffered injuries to her head and limbs.
The Standard reported that the group climbed to the peak with their bare hands and reached Suicide Cliff at about 1pm. They then heard Lee scream and turned around just in time to witness her fall.
The newspaper added that her plunge was broken by a tree halfway down. She was pronounced dead hours later at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern hospital, after being airlifted out a Government Flying Service helicopter.
The news follows the Saturday death of a 69-year-old man who slipped off the side of the challenging “dog teeth range” trail on Lantau Island while on a hike with 15 friends.
Yesterday’s accident also occurred on path known for its difficulty.
Kowloon Peak, also known as Fei Ngo Shan, is the highest mountain in the Kowloon area, with an altitude of approximately 600 meters.
It is also one of Hong Kong’s most challenging trails, according to experts, who worry that inexperienced hikers are drawn to the site for its scenic views of the city.
Speaking to The Standard, Hong Kong Mountaineering Training Centre founder Chung Kin-man said Suicide Cliff — a 90-degree, 300 meter cliff face — was not meant for regular hikers but rather professional rock climbers.
“Without proper equipment, it is very dangerous,” he told the newspaper.
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