An elderly hiker who got lost in Hong Kong's backcountry has been found safe and well, two days after he disappeared.
90-year-old Ng Sek-wu, from the Wong Tai Sin area, set out on a popular backcountry trail with his local hiking club on Sunday, December 8.
However, he became separated from the group and found himself lost on a remote hill in the Hong Kong backcountry. At 10pm he called his wife to update her, reassuring her that he’d return home the next day, right before his phone died.
Despite his assurances, Sek-wu was nowhere to be found the following day, prompting his concerned wife to contact local authorities, who quickly organized an intensive search.
Multiple rescuers from various organizations began the hunt for the pensioner, which included the use of a helicopter.
After hours of searching, Sek-wu was thankfully found at roughly 3pm on Tuesday, December 10, wandering around the remote Kau Tam Cho village.
Despite the exhaustive efforts of various rescue organizations, the lost hiker was discovered by a local villager, who’d spotted the old man struggling to use a walking stick.
Although he was unharmed, Sek-wu was quickly escorted to the nearest hospital for a full and proper recovery.
Hiking safety
Traversing the backcountry can be a dangerous hobby without the right equipment. Despite trekking with his hiking club, Ng Sek-wu was reliant on his phone, which soon ran out of charge, for navigation.
Although mobile phones can sometimes suffice, especially if you have an iPhone with Apple’s SOS function, satellite communicators like the Garmin InReach Messenger Plus are the safest option for backcountry emergencies. Unreliant on phone signals, these long-lasting GPS devices can be used to call for help in all manner of remote backcountry locations.
In the past decade, Garmin InReach devices have been used to source emergency assistance on over 10,000 occasions, saving several lives in the process.
In September, a Canadian hiker who’d been mauled by a bear was rescued after sending an SOS signal with his InReach device.
For more on hiking safety, check out our expert guide to all the essential kit.
- The best hiking boots 2024 keep your feet warm, dry, and protected on the trails with our top choices
- The best lightweight hiking shoes and boots 2024 pick up speed on the trails
