Snapped steel cable claims life of seafarer in Yau Ma Tei

A 61-year-old crew member died in a industrial accident aboard a vessel in Hong Kong's Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter early Tuesday morning.

The victim, surnamed Cheung, was found unconscious and severely injured with an amputated arm on the deck of a barge at approximately 1am today. Colleagues discovered the gruesome scene and immediately alerted emergency services.

Paramedics rushed the injured seafarer to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai, where he was pronounced dead despite resuscitation attempts.

Preliminary police investigations suggest the fatal incident occurred when a steel cable connecting the barge to a tugboat suddenly snapped loose. The whipping cable reportedly struck Cheung with tremendous force as he worked on deck.

The barge remains anchored off the West Kowloon Cultural District, its deck still cordoned off by police tape as evidence. Authorities have classified the case as an industrial accident, with the Marine Department leading the ongoing investigation.