Hong Kong rescuers find 2 missing hikers after long helicopter search

Rescue personnel have found two missing hikers, a six-year-old boy and his aunt, in a stream in northeastern Hong Kong after an hours-long helicopter-assisted search.

The boy exhibited symptoms of hypothermia due to the low temperatures, as well as hunger, when rescued in the early hours of Wednesday at Pat Sin Leng, part of the Wilson Trail, authorities said.

The boy’s mother called police on Tuesday night after losing contact with him and her sister while hiking with their children in the area, prompting rescuers, including firefighters and personnel from the Civil Aid Service, to assemble near Bride’s Pool to launch the search.

Helicopters from the Government Flying Service were deployed, hovering over the area for more than three hours from 9pm until midnight.

Firefighters found the pair in the stream at around 1am on Wednesday. Both were airlifted by a helicopter to Wan Chai and transferred to Ruttonjee Hospital for examination.