Sharp Island invaded by sightseers Photo: Hong Kong Hiking Beginners Exchange Zone
The long Easter holiday weekend has caused much chaos in the Sai Kung area. Accidents, crowds, and much flouting of Covid social distancing rules have led to a number of newsworthy incidents. BUZZ recaps below:
16-year-old boy knocked down by minibus in Ng Fai Tan
Yesterday afternoon (17/4), a green minibus was traveling along Clear Water Bay Road towards Kowloon. As it approach Ng Fai Tan, a young man suddenly ran across the road. The driver of the minibus couldn’t stop in time, and the minibus knocked the young man to the ground. Several nearby hikers came forward to assist until police and ambulancemen arrived at the scene. Fortunately, the teenager involved only had scratches on his hands and feet, and he was sent to Tseung Kwan O Hospital for treatment. The police are investigating the cause of the accident.
Woman drowns in Tai Long Wan
Tai Long Wan
The Observatory issued a strong monsoon signal for the second day in a row yesterday (17/4). Unfortunately not all day trippers took notice. A 56-year-old woman, her 58-year old husband and six relatives and friends went to Tai Long Wan for a barbecue and some swimming. Around 4:00 pm the husband was shocked to see his wife drowning about 10 metres from the shore; she had already lost consciousness. He swam to rescue her and gave her first aid. Owing to the remote location, a Government Flying Service helicopter was called to the scene to rescue the unconscious victim and she was flown to the Eastern District Hospital for emergency treatment. Unfortunately, she was confirmed dead after arriving at the hospital.
At the time of the incident, the Observatory was issuing a strong monsoon signal, and strong easterly winds were expected to blow in Hong Kong, with an average wind speed of over 40 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching gale force at times. The Observatory reminds residents that due to the influence of the monsoon, the wind and waves in offshore waters are particularly strong. Those who plan to participate in water sports or work at sea should be especially careful to avoid the danger caused by strong winds and waves.
Tai Long Wan, or Big Wave Bay, is one of the five most dangerous beaches in Sai Kung. There have been many drowning accidents in the past. Due to factors such as the shallow water in Sai Wan, the closeness of the South China Sea and the geography of the concave bay, dangerous undercurrents often occur, which can drag swimmers out to sea.
Sharp Island invaded by sightseers
Sharp Island invaded by sightseers Photo: Hong Kong Hiking Beginners Exchange Zone
A netizen shared a photo on the FB group “Hong Kong Hiking Beginners Exchange Zone” on Saturday (16/4), showing that on the first day of the Easter holiday (15/4), there was a very large crowd of people on Sharp Island. It can be seen from the photos that the sky was clear and there was little pollution, the shore area was crowded with tourists, and there were even tourists illegally camping on the beach.
The photos caused an uproar among many netizens. Some commented that the place was comparable to a downtown area, “there are more people than stones”, “more people than in Mong Kok”, “some people are infected, and is everyone immune?”, “it’s hard to stay away from the hustle and bustle”, and some netizens sighed: “Will it sink?”
AFCD issue multiple fines in Country Parks for illegal camping and flouting of social distancing regulations
AFCD officers issue penalty notices to illegal campers in the Country Parks Photo: HKGov
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department joined forces with the police to inspect and enforce the law in country parks in various districts Saturday (16/4) and Sunday, and to crack down on violations of Covid-prevention regulations. The officers issued Fixed Penalty Notices for violating the mask order, and 49 Notices to those who illegally camped or set fires in country parks.
The AFCD said the joint enforcement operations were carried out in the Sai Kung Country Park, Plover Cove Country Park, Pat Sin Leng Country Park and the Tung Lung Chau Fort Special Area. The department also said that during the long Easter holiday, it will continue to work with relevant departments to strengthen inspections, and if any violations are found, they will enforce the law decisively.
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