Man dies in Hong Kong after fainting on hike
Rescuers called to MacLehose Trail’s stage seven to save 71-year-old, who was later declared dead at Chai Wan hospital
A Hong Kong hiker died after collapsing in warm weather near the Shing Mun Reservoir at midday on Saturday.
The 71-year-old, surnamed Cheung, was walking along stage seven of the MacLehose Trail with friends when he fainted close to Needle Hill and the reservoir in Sha Tin, hurting his head.
One of the man’s friends called rescuers to the scene and when they arrived they tried to resuscitate him. But he was unconscious when a government helicopter airlifted him to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan.
He was confirmed dead at 1.52pm.
Police were not treating the fatality as suspicious, but officers said they would wait for an autopsy to confirm the cause of death. It was not clear how long the man had walked.
The 100km-long MacLehose Trail is one of the city’s four major hiking routes, along with the Wilson Trail, the Hong Kong Trail and the Lantau Trail.
