Hiker, 67, rescued after camping out in Tai Po mountains amid heavy fog

A 67-year-old man was found safe on Tuesday morning after spending a night in the hills of Ng Tung Chai in Tai Po, having lost his way in thick fog during a solo hike.

The man, surnamed Lee, went hiking alone on Monday afternoon. When he later lost contact, a friend became concerned about his safety and reported the case to police late that night.

Large-scale search and rescue operations were launched overnight. At around 8am on Tuesday, firefighters located Lee near Chai Kek Village off Lam Kam Road and escorted him down the mountain.

Lee was found wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts despite the overnight conditions. He appeared calm and in good spirits, waving at rescuers and showing no signs of injury. He was carrying a hiking stick, a mobile phone and a power bank.

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When asked why he had gone missing and how he managed to spend the night on the mountain, Lee said he had previously hiked in Ng Tung Chai.

“It got dark, so I stopped walking,” he said. He added, “I just slept a bit and sat for a while.”

After descending, Lee briefly boarded an ambulance and a police vehicle but did not require hospital treatment.

It was understood that Lee told a friend at around 2pm on Monday that he was heading to Ng Tung Chai for a hike. At about 6pm, he contacted the friend again, saying he had lost his way due to heavy fog and was unable to descend. The friend subsequently reported the case to police.

Lee later informed his friend that his phone battery was running low and that he would wait until the following morning to make his way down.

Police and rescue personnel were dispatched immediately after receiving the report. Lee was eventually located by firefighters early Tuesday morning. He declined hospitalization after being examined by paramedics.