Rescuers say adverse weather left missing boy naked and stranded uphill when found

Seventeen-year-old boy Matthew Tsang Hin-chit from Diocesan Boys’ School was completely naked when he was found in a bush near Lo Shu Tin in Shatin, according to rescuers. 

Speaking to Sing Tao Daily - The Standard's sister paper - rescuers who joined the search said Tsang’s location was no ordinary hiking trail and they had to break through the bushes and the woods to find him.

It was learned that there was no response from Tsang when rescuers shouted his name before they located him.

Rescuers said Tsang was conscious at the time but appeared to be a bit dull, and he was able to confirm his identity with the authorities.

However, Tsang didn’t respond when asked why he went uphill and didn’t come down to seek help. 

Rescuers then asked why he stayed near a stream, and Tsang replied, "Because I have water to drink here." He was about 100 meters away from the main hiking trail when he was found.

He ate leaves and wild fruits to survive, according to sources.

When asked why he was completely naked, Tsang said, “It’s freezing.” Rescuers predicted he had removed all his clothes after they got wet when the city was hit by Typhoon Koinu and torrential rain earlier. 

Tsang sustained bruises to his thighs and knees but suffered no critical injuries. 

Rescuers then took off their clothes and gave them to Tsang. He was later wrapped in a thermal blanket and offered an energy drink by firefighters as the Government Flying Service flew him to Eastern Hospital.

The authorities said on Wednesday that the search and rescue area of the week-long operation covered 10 square kilometers, and 28 fire engines, nine ambulances, 122 firefighters, 24 paramedics, and 50 personnel from the Civil Aid Service were deployed.

The Fire Services said they faced enormous challenges during the rescue operation due to the uncertainty of Tsang's route and the extreme weather including the typhoon. The Services added that Tsang did not carry any communication devices with him, which means search and rescue officers cannot track Tsang's location or narrow down the search areas.

Over 10,000 photos taken by drones throughout the rescue operation were analyzed by artificial intelligence tools when searching for Tsang, said the mountain search and rescue team.

Separately, the headmaster of Diocesan Boys’ School Ronnie Cheng Kay-yen said in a special notice to parents on Wednesday that it is important to allow space and time for Tsang's family to process the incident, without causing them further distress. 

“We would again like to remind all Diocesan community members to refrain from making speculative comments and limit information and images shared outside of our community regarding this case, particularly on public forums.”

Cheng said teachers, school social workers and clinical psychologists will be available to provide support and counselling to students and families in need. He also advised the parents to pay special attention to their children's needs and emotional wellbeing during this period. 

(Updated at 7.41 pm)

Also read: Diocesan Boys' School student missing for 7 days found alive in Shatin

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