A 27-year-old man drowned in Repulse Bay when he went swimming with four friends yesterday afternoon during the Dragon Boat Festival.
A police spokeswoman said that just before 5.30pm when he was about eight metres from shore, the man told his friends he was tired and wanted to rest.
'His friends left him for about 15 minutes, but when they swam back, they could not find him,' the spokeswoman said.
His friends alerted lifeguards, who found the man in the water. He was taken to Ruttonjee Hospital, where he was declared dead at 6.30pm.
In two separate cases, a seven-year-old boy and an elderly woman almost drowned as they swam in Shek O and Tsam Chuk Wan, Sai Kung, respectively. Both were in stable condition in hospitals.
It is traditional to swim during the festival, as many people believe it can bring them good luck.