Diver missing in waters off Hong Kong’s Shek Kwu Chau found dead as boat captain bailed
Man, 53, had been working 20 metres off island when propeller severed rope connecting him to boat
A diver who had been missing since Monday when he was working in waters in southwest Hong Kong was found dead.
Volunteer divers on Wednesday found the body of the 53-year-old man, surnamed Choi, near She Kwu Chau during an air and sea search-and-rescue operation that began on Monday morning, when he had been carrying out salvage work 20 metres off the island. A propeller severed a rope connecting him to a boat, and an arm was later found in the water.
A postmortem will be conducted.
Police arrested the captain – a 58-year-old man – on suspicion of endangering the safety of others at sea. He was later released on bail and must report back to police next month.
Choi had been tied to a rope, which was held by a colleague on the boat.
“Initial investigation showed the boat drifted for a distance and it was believed the propeller severed the rope when the engine started,” a police source said.