Respects paid to doctor killed at sea
Wayne Hu, who died after falling from a yacht into the sea just before the No 3 typhoon signal was hoisted, is remembered in a Buddhist ceremony
Relatives and friends of Dr Wayne Hu Hsing-cheng, who was killed in a boating accident on Saturday night, held a Buddhist ceremony that included rituals to pacify the soul of the specialist, who died at 51.
More than 40 people attended the ceremony, which lasted about 2-1/2 hours, at Puguang Meditation Centre in North Point. The ceremony was open only to friends and relatives of the late gastroenterology and hepatology specialist.
Among them was his wife, RTHK host Emma Liu, who is the daughter of Liu Lit-man, the former head of Chong Hing Bank. Liu was silent as she was led to a car after the ceremony.
Dr Kenneth Tsang Wah-tak, who on Saturday tried to resuscitate Hu to no avail when his body was found two hours after he had gone missing, said the rituals were a private event and asked the media not to disturb the family and friends. Tsang had in the past few days spoke of his friendship with Hu, whom he called his best friend, but he made no comment yesterday.
Buddhist chants were heard during the ceremony. After the rituals, a woman who declined to identify herself said: "We came here to say prayers, hoping that Dr Hu will go to heaven soon.
"It was shocking," the woman said of Hu's death. "I am very upset."
Actor David Chiang Tai-wai, and Yvette Tang, daughter of late actor Alan Tang Kwong-wing, also attended.
Hu is believed to have gone on a weekend boating trip with friends. He was killed after he fell from a yacht into the sea on Saturday night in waters just off Shum Wan Road in Aberdeen - just minutes before the typhoon signal No3 was hoisted. He was declared dead at the scene.
A 58-year-old helmsman was arrested on suspicion of endangering the safety of others at sea.
The case is being investigated by marine police. The arrested man was yesterday freed on police bail pending further inquiries. He has to report back to police in October. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of Hu's death.
Hu is the son of late doctor Hu Shih-chang.
The younger Hu was said by friends to be a talented doctor, skilled at medicine and well-versed in tea making, cooking and history.
Tsang earlier told newspaper that Hu was an "absolutely good man and an absolutely good doctor".
"Both he and I went to a traditional English boarding school. We shared the same interests … We loved eating good stuff and drinking good red wine … He is my best friend," Tsang had said.
A spokeswoman for the University of Hong Kong's medical school said staff and students there had sent condolences to Hu's family.
Hu had been with the school since 1997.
She described Hu, who was once the school's honorary clinical assistant professor, as "a good doctor".
Paul Lam Tat-chung, president of the Society of Physicians of Hong Kong, said through his secretary that the society had no comment on Hu's death. Hu was a member of the society.
