By Danny Mok
Copyright scmp
Hong Kong authorities are searching for a man from mainland China who went missing during a hiking trip to Lamma Island on Saturday, with one of his last known messages to a colleague saying he suspected he had lost his way.
Zheng To, 52, arrived in Hong Kong the same day for a short business trip and was staying at a hotel in Kwun Tong.
On Saturday morning, he told colleagues that he planned to hike on Lamma Island.
In the afternoon, he sent a message to a colleague via WeChat and said he suspected he had lost his way and that his phone battery was running low at 4.50pm.
He said he was still finding his way out in another message and reassured the colleague he was safe while turning down a suggestion at 6.55pm to get help.
But Zheng failed to return to his hotel and could no longer be reached, prompting his colleagues to file a missing-person report with police on Monday.
Emergency services, including the Fire Services Department, Civil Aid Service and police, have mobilised a search operation.
Helicopters from the Government Flying Service were seen hovering over areas near the Lamma Power Station and Hung Shing Yeh Beach.
Police have contacted his family, who said around midday on Sunday that he took and sent several hiking selfies to them.
The photos appear to show Zheng hiking in the area between Mo Tat Wan and Ling Kok Shan, near Mount Stenhouse, the highest hill on the island.
A lifeguard at the beach reported seeing a man resembling Zheng heading towards Sok Kwu Wan on Sunday evening, leading authorities to widen the search.
By Tuesday, rescuers expanded their efforts, conducting a grid search from Yung Shue Wan through Hung Shing Yeh and the area between Mo Tat Wan and Ling Kok Shan.
Zheng is scheduled to leave Hong Kong on Thursday.
Separately, a 67-year-old local man also went missing in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday. His family reported his disappearance the following day, prompting a search in the hills around Mau Wu Tsai and Tseng Lan Shu near Duckling Hill.
By midday Tuesday, police had set up a command post outside King Ling College near Po Lam Road North.
A helicopter was also deployed to help.
