Hongkonger keeps up the fight to understand son’s death in 2022 crane accident
Death of 63-year-old’s son still haunts him, but Tsui has devoted life to helping others who have experienced similar bereavement
Nearly three years after his 25-year-old son died in one of Hong Kong’s worst industrial accidents, Tsui is still trying to understand the cause of the tragedy at the construction site where a 65-tonne tower crane collapsed and killed three men.
“On the day the crane fell, all I had was anger, and my head was blank. Only later did I feel empty, lost, and a sense of longing,” the 63-year-old, who only wished to be identified by his surname, said on Labour Day on Thursday.
“I’ve never experienced this before, nor did I realise it could be so difficult to be hit by all these feelings at the same time.
“After my son’s passing, I was told my court case won’t stand a chance. I want to understand why. In Hong Kong’s so-called free and civil society, why won’t I stand a chance? I struggle to fathom why some seem to be able to evade their responsibilities.”
The death of Tsui’s son was among 68 construction-related fatalities recorded in 2022. In comparison, the annual tally stood at 65 each for 2023 and 2024.
The city recorded 7,423 industrial accidents and occupational injuries in the construction industry in 2022, compared with 6,397 in 2023 and 6,252 in 2024.