Hong Kong rescuers search for man, 81, who went missing on hike in Tuen Mun

A picture of the missing man.

Photo: Handout Hong Kong rescuers are searching for a man who has been missing since Saturday, with authorities discovering one of the 81-year-old man’s shoes nearly 20 hours into the operation.

Police said on Sunday that the man, surnamed He, was hiking with his wife along Section 10 of the MacLehose Trail at around 10am the day before.

The couple had been heading in the direction of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir in Tuen Mun, the force said.

According to a social media post from the man’s adult child, he split off from his wife at the entrance of the Tai Lam Country Park after feeling tired.

The wife later realised that he was missing.

The family filed a police report at 6.54pm.

In response, authorities put together a rescue team comprising police officers, firefighters and members of the Government Flying Service and the Civil Aid Service.

The search started on Saturday.

By 1.32pm the next day, rescuers discovered one of the man’s slip-on trainers.

On Saturday, the Observatory issued the amber rainstorm signal from 11am to 1.40pm.

A thunderstorm warning was also in effect from 9.50am to 4pm that day.

Another amber rainstorm warning was issued on Sunday afternoon amid intense thundery showers.

One of the missing man’s shoes was found by rescuers.

Photo: Handout According to a social media post by volunteer rescue team Hong Kong Guardians, the couple started hiking at around 8.20am from the trail entry point near the Hoh Fuk Tong College, and walked for an hour along Section 10.

The man then felt tired and rested at a pavilion while his wife continued to hike, planning to return afterwards.

But heavy rainfall prompted her to rest at another pavilion for an hour.

She started heading to find her husband at 2pm, but got lost and arrived at the meet-up point two hours later.

The man was nowhere to be found.

The man, who is mainland Chinese and holds a three-month visitor visa, was only carrying a little water and a mobile phone without roaming services.

The missing man is 1.5 metres tall.

He was wearing a blue checkered shirt, black trousers, and grey shoes around the time that he went missing.

原文链接: 南华早报