Mates hope rescued teenager can return to a normal life

Diocesan Boys' School students said they were thrilled to hear news that schoolmate Matthew Tsang Hin-chit was found after going missing for a week and that they could not wait to see him back in school.

Tsang's classmates said the whole class was jumping with joy yesterday afternoon when they heard he was found alive, with one saying: "I wish he can recover and return to a normal life."

Sources said the 17-year-old Tsang went up to Ma On Shan Country Park on October 4 to relax his mind but fell asleep. It was dark when he woke up and lost his way.

It is understood that Tsang survived by eating wild fruits and leaves and drinking rainwater and water from streams.

Amy Chan, the boy's mother, wrote on Facebook that her son survived thanks to his "strong will power."

She added: "Matthew was lost and stuck in the woods for eight days and managed to survive using his strong will power and drinking water from a stream.

"After the typhoon signal No 9 and the black rain, he was thoroughly soaked and realized that he might fall sick if he continued to wear his clothes, so he decided to take them off and hide in the bushes to shelter from the rain and wind."

Chan added it was "God's miracle" that the boy survived. She said her son's physical and mental conditions are stable and he is being treated at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan.

She said her son was found in thick undergrowth about 100 meters from a path near Lo Shue Tin in Ma On Shan Country Park and thanked police, firefighters and volunteers for their help.

"Thanks to all Hong Kong citizens who have supplied valuable information like sightings. Thank you media for your attention and reporting. I am deeply moved by the warmth and love of HK people through this incident," she posted.

Tsang's schoolmates rejoiced to hear that he was rescued.

"The whole class jumped with joy when he was found. He was really lucky," a student said.

Another student, Leung, said many schoolmates were worried when Tsang went missing, adding: "I wish he can recover and return to a normal life."

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said she is grateful that Tsang had been rescued and thanked firefighters and volunteers for searching during bad weather.

"As [Matthew] and his family members need time to deal with this incident, I hope society can give them more space," she said.

Senior station officer Cheung Tin-yu of the Fire Services Department's mountain search and rescue team said firefighters had earlier searched Lo Shue Tin Hang, where Tsang was eventually found, but had not spotted him at the time.

"The bushes there are as high as a person, and we may not find a person sitting or standing inside the bush without clearing it," she said on radio.

Cheung said the location was dangerous as the land was slippery and rough, making the search more challenging.

Firefighters used drones to take over 10,000 photos looking at streams, temporary shelters, and abandoned houses to narrow the search area.

"By using drones to take photos, we can immediately create a seasonal map to find seasonal streams and plant-covering areas, locations that can be used as temporary shelters, or some abandoned houses," she said.

Assistant divisional officer Chow Cheuk-fung said: "During the search along the stream, we were pushing away the bushes and then found Tsang there."

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com