One dead after monsoon triggers sailing mishap

A 52-year-old Frenchman died while his 57-year-old local friend was injured after their sailboats capsized off Po Toi Island near Beaufort Island.

This came as the strong monsoon signal was in force yesterday, with mean wind speed from the east exceeding 40 kilometers per hour.

The Frenchman, who was the managing director and Asia-Pacific department head of a local bank, was sent unconscious to the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan, where he was later certified dead.

His injured friend, Luk, was admitted to the same hospital.

At 1pm yesterday, the two men sailed from Stanley to Po Toi Island, which is situated about 50 meters off Beaufort Island.

Later at 1.54pm, the sailboats overturned due to strong winds, causing the two men to be thrown overboard.

The Frenchman was trapped underneath the boat whereas Luk, who was wearing a life jacket, managed to reach the water's surface and report the incident to the police.

Shortly after Luk called the police, rescue personnel salvaged the two men and dropped them off at Blake Pier in Stanley.

The two were then taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.

Luk's relatives also visited him at the hospital later.

Rescue personnel continued to search for more potential missing persons in the water.

The Observatory issued a special weather warning yesterday afternoon, saying strong winds were expected.

It also reminded the public to be wary of rough seas.

As of 4.30pm, the maximum sustained winds recorded at Waglan Island, Cheung Chau beach and Tap Mun - or Grass Island - reached 74, 62 and 54km/hr respectively.

Maximum gusts at the three locations reached 86, 78 and 62km/h respectively, the Observatory added.

In a separate incident, a tree collapsed and fell on Tsuen Wan-bound Lung Cheung Road at 5pm yesterday, causing a nearby lane to be cordoned off.

Earlier in the morning, trees were felled in Kowloon City, Prince Edward Road West and Cheung Fai Road in Tsing Yi.

At around the same time, scaffolding collapsed on Ching Tak Street in Wong Tai Sin.