A middle-aged diver drowned off Sai Kung's Green Egg Island yesterday, making it the third fatal accident near the island since mid last year.
The 49-year-old maintenance worker, Mak, was a diver with over a decade of diving experience.
He went diving with friends about 20 meters from Trio Island, near Green Egg Island in Sai Kung, at around 10.30am yesterday.
However, Mak's diving equipment malfunctioned around 10 minutes later and he was unable to return to the surface in time, according to sources.
His friends subsequently spotted Mak losing consciousness in the water and managed to drag him ashore before calling in the police.
A Government Flying Services helicopter airlifted the unconscious Mak to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital where he was declared dead, according to the police.
Police officers at the scene said preliminary investigation led them to believe that Mak accidentally drowned while diving.
The Hong Kong Observatory's south China coastal weather report at 9.45am showed a moderate to fresh breeze in Hong Kong adjacent waters, as well as moderate seas and a few showers.
An hour before the accident, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department had hoisted the red flag at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung due to big waves and advised people not to swim at the beach.
This is the third fatal accident near Green Egg Island in a year.
In June, a 41-year-old man drowned during a swim with friends around 5m off the island, and was certified dead at the scene.
In September, a 45-year-old man was canoeing with his wife when he became stranded near Green Egg Island. He swam toward a boat that he mistook for rescuers and was struck by lightning while swimming. He was certified dead at the hospital.
Green Egg Island is actually called Lan Pai by fishermen, but hikers thought the island looked like a sunny-side-up egg with the patch of trees and bushes in the center of the island resembling an egg yolk, and therefore named it Green Egg Island.
The island is surrounded by clear water and has a rocky beach. It has attracted numerous hikers and water sport lovers who go snorkeling, kayaking and free diving near the island.
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