Hong Kong angler arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after fight with another sport fisherman ends in drowning
- Two men fought over their fishing spots on waterfront near ferry piers in North Point at about 3pm
- They fell into sea and managed to climb back out, only to resume fighting, police say, adding one man fell into water second time and drowned
A sport fisherman has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in Hong Kong after he and another angler got into an argument and both fell into the sea near ferry piers in North Point.
Police said the two men argued over fishing spots on the waterfront near Tin Chiu Street at about 3pm on Sunday before the verbal dispute quickly escalated into a physical fight.
The men fell into the water but managed to make their way back to shore and continued to fight, the force said.
They plunged into the sea again and one man was able to get out, but the other went missing.
The suspect made a call for help at the Customs and Excise Department headquarters on Java Road. Firefighters and marine police arrived at the scene and started a search for the missing man.
Rescuers found him unconscious at around 5.10pm, and he was rushed to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan.
The 61-year-old man was pronounced dead before 6pm. A postmortem examination is expected to be carried out. The Eastern district crime squad is investigating.
Hong Kong swimmer and fisherman drown in 2 separate incidents in Sai Kung
The surviving man, aged 66, was arrested on Sunday night. He was sent to hospital with minor injuries.
The last reported death of an angler was in late June when a 68-year-old man drowned off the island of Nga Ying Pai in Sai Kung. He was fishing on the southwestern side of Tung Lung Chau with four others when he tripped and fell into the water while trying to recover a shrimp cage.
In March 2021, an angler fell into the sea during a scuffle with two pedestrians at the Star Ferry Pier in Tsim Sha Tsui over whether he should release a large catch. He was not injured.
