EMOTIONAL family reunions in Hong Kong yesterday ended the nightmare ordeal for the five soldiers who almost died of starvation in the Malaysian jungle.
Fiona Neill, wife of the team leader Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Neill, and their two sons James and Alexander, flung their arms round the newly-shaven man they so nearly never saw again.
Major Ronald Foster was hugged by his wife Jeanette. The wives, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters of Private Victor Lam Wai-ki, Lance Corporal Kevin Cheung Yiu-keung and Private Chow Wai-keung were tearful in their long-awaited greetings.
But it emerged yesterday that none of the three Hong Kong servicemen who were part of the failed expedition to descend Mount Kinabalu's dangerous Low's Gully, had any significant abseiling or climbing experience.
Private Lam, speaking to the South China Morning Post on the plane back to Hong Kong, said he had never abseiled before attempting the descent.
When asked about training for the expedition, he replied: ''I learned to abseil at the rest house'', referring to the hut at 3,660 metres on top of Mount Kinabalu where the party stayed two days before attempting the descent.
He also admitted the two other Hong Kong-based soldiers had very limited adventure training experience. But Private Lam said he felt they were all fit enough for the expedition and would jump at the chance to try the descent again.
