Air-sea search for missing angler

An air-sea search has been launched to find an off-duty fireman who did not return from a fishing trip to Po Toi Island.

Chan Kam-fai, 30, is the second angler reported missing after a 65-year-old man on Monday. He had gone fishing to Lung Kwu Tan.

Chan was last seen on Fat Kwong Street in Hung Hom on Wednesday morning.

His family reported him missing yesterday, police said. The Fire Services Department confirmed he is one of its firefighters at Hung Hom Fire Station, and was off duty at the time. He was said to have gone angling on the shore at Po Toi.

Police appealed to the public for information on Chan. He is about 1.7 meters tall, 75 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a square face with short black hair.

Chan was wearing a black jacket, blue trousers and black shoes and was carrying a white fishing rod bag and a trolley.

The Fire Services Department and marine police yesterday conducted a search and rescue operation in the waters off Po Toi. The Government Flying Service also sent a helicopter to assist.

Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras were also deployed as part of the search. Searching teams also searched hiking trails on the island and interviewed villagers in case they saw Chan.

A police source said the fireman could have been exposed to extreme weather, with the case classified as "missing person at risk."

Anyone with information about the missing man or who has seen him is urged to contact the West Kowloon Regional Missing Persons Unit or any police station.

Another angler, Chan Shu, left home at Lung Kwu Tan in Tuen Mun on Monday but had not returned by nightfall. The Government Flying Service and the marine police searched the sea area but have not yet found him.

Some anglers at Lung Kwu Tan said Chan Shu, a veteran with more than 20 years' experience and familiar with water flow, usually leaves at 8am and returns at 3pm to 4pm.

They saw him sailing off into the blue around 8 am on Monday.

His family members posted a missing-person notice on Facebook, with a photo of Chan Shu, who is 1.8 meters tall and slim.

He was wearing a light gray-green jacket or a blue reflective top with a colored neck scarf and was fishing alone in a light-colored fiber boat.
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