The search in Hong Kong for a 17-year-old student has entered its seventh day, with his parents returning to a country park to join rescue efforts after a week of distress compounded by a typhoon.
Matthew Tsang Hin-chit, 17, was last seen departing Shek Mun MTR station and heading towards Ma On Shan Country Park along Hang Shin Link in Siu Lik Yuen at around 2.30pm last Wednesday.
But rescue efforts were halted at one point on Sunday as Typhoon Koinu hit Hong Kong and triggered the No 8 and 9 warnings.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
Mother Amy Chan on Wednesday this week told the Post the search was resumed immediately on Monday after storm alerts were lifted.
“We of course are worried and sad. But we will turn our sorrow into strength and will strive to find our son,” she said. “We also thank God for sending so many angels to help us find Matthew. We believe that with God’s will, any miracles are possible.”
Chan said in the morning she and her husband were heading to Ngong Ping campsite at the country park to conduct their own search as they had previously been to the area on family hikes.
But she added they had never gone into the country park from Shek Mun on past treks.
The mother also said the search and rescue team had yet to cover the entire area due to the vast scale of the park.
Hong Kong police narrow search for missing schoolboy, 17, to country park
On Tuesday night, Chan wrote on social media: “My son Matthew is still missing and today is the seventh day. I am moved by the warmth and love of Hong Kong people through this incident.
“Even [though] we have experienced Typhoon 9 and black rain ... Please continue to pray for the search teams and Matthew,” she said, referring to the city’s highest rainstorm alert, issued on Monday.
Chan expressed her gratitude to police, firefighters from the mountain search and rescue team, and the Civil Aid Service for their “relentless” efforts.
She also thanked alumni from her son’s school, relatives and volunteer search teams.
“Should you see Matthew, please contact police by calling 28601040 or 98860034,” she pleaded.
Tsang is a Form Six pupil at Diocesan Boys’ School in Mong Kok, and had been preparing for his university entrance exams next year.
He was last spotted wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, black trousers, black shoes and a black mask when he left his school at lunchtime.
He is about 1.63 metres (5 feet 3 inches) tall, weighing about 50kg (110lbs) and has a squarish face, yellow complexion and short, black hair.
Chan’s mother earlier said the teen was the former captain of the school’s dragon boat team, and they trained in Shek Mun.
She on Friday appealed to the public to help trace the boy, who she said had been suffering from stress. He had complained of insomnia and acid reflux earlier last week and had taken medicine the night before his disappearance, according to Chan.
Anyone who has seen the missing teen can contact the force’s Regional Missing Persons Unit on 2860 1040 or 9886 0034, or email rmpu-hki@police.gov.hk.
People with information on the case can also visit any police station.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Hong Kong mother issues plea for public’s help to find son, 17, missing since Wednesday
- Hong Kong mother issues tearful plea for a heart to save her son
For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2023.
