A man and a woman were spotted but searchers were unable to reach them due to the fast flowing water and steep terrain.

Searchers finally reached the pair by making their way downstream. The bodies were brought out late last night. The men were named as Fung Sze-him, 36, and Lui Kim-kiu, 33, and the woman as Lam Mei-king, 30.

Twenty-five fire-fighters and 10 Civil Aid Services staff were hunting for the missing man, Kwong Cheuk-sum, 36. The search was called off at 1.55 am, but was to begin again at first light.

The party set off in the morning and the tragedy happened around 3 pm. One rescuer said the hikers had planned to avoid wading through streams but might have got lost.

They tried to cross a fast-flowing stretch using stepping-stones, but either slipped and fell in or were swept away trying to help others who lost their footing.

Two people had been swept in only half an hour earlier but were rescued.

The body of the first man, believed to be aged 26, was recovered at 7.45 pm.

Much of the area is a long way from the nearest road access, and there are some radio black spots because of rocks.

The river flows through areas with few paths and the paths that do exist are muddy.

Streams in the area are still coursing with water from the more than 300 millimetres of rain that fell between Wednesday and Saturday.