Air New Zealand Captain Went Missing in HK since 5 Aug
 

An Air New Zealand Captain went missing in HK since yesterday while hiking in Tai Po area. For the past 24 hours, Police, Flying Forces have been trying their best to locate him but without much succes. I fervently hope that the Captain is doing OK and is now in a safe place. I am appealing to people who believe in prayers could help say prayers for his safe return.

Air NZ pilot missing in Hong Kong - World - NZ Herald News

C'mon Chook, where are ya? I hope they find him safe and sound soon.

While I really do hope that he is OK and wakes up with a serious hang-over down in the wanch, I doubt praying will do anything. It is about as useful as wishing it wasn't so.

So yes, I wish it wasn't so if it makes you feel any better.

From today's SCMP:

Mystery Surrounds Hiker's Disappearance
Martin Wong
Aug 07, 2010

The search for Stephen Morrissey - a New Zealand pilot who went missing on Wednesday while hiking in Pat Sin Leng - was continuing last night amid mystery as to how an experienced hiker could have gone astray on a relatively easy hiking trail.

Two days after his disappearance, more than 100 police, fire and civil aid officers were deployed to look for the 51-year-old with the assistance of a government helicopter and dogs. His family and friends also flew into the city yesterday from New Zealand to help with the search.

Their efforts had been unsuccessful as of last night and rescuers said the pursuit would continue overnight.

Morrissey came to the city with his friend, Mark, 54, and together they began traversing a 15-kilometre trail starting from Hok Tau Wai at 7am on Wednesday.

Ken Ng On-yeung, chairman of the Hong Kong Hiking Society, said the trail, which is part of the renowned Wilson Trail, was not a difficult one. He gave it a difficulty rating of 3 out of 5.

"If people follow the pavement trail designed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, there is no way they would get lost and there is no danger of falling down any slope," he said.

The pair, both pilots for Air New Zealand, walked together until the final part of the trail at which point Morrissey told Mark he wanted to get more water and so decided to walk ahead.

They were supposed to meet again at the final stop on the trail in Tai Mei Tuk at 3pm.

But Mark failed to see Morrissey after more than an hour of waiting and so returned to their hotel in the hope he might have gone back there alone. Mark called police after realising Morrissey had not made it back to the hotel. He told police they had been hiking in Hong Kong many times in the past.

Each rescuer was issued with a picture of Morrissey taken only a few hours before he vanished. At 1.8 metres tall, he is of thin build, has a pointed face with short, grey hair and a light complexion.

He was wearing a pair of metal-framed glasses, a grey T-shirt, green shorts, carrying a black rucksack and was holding a blue umbrella.

Ng reminded people that they should always go hiking with somebody and should ensure they have enough water.

Sqwak, I suspect the vast majority of the worlds population would beg to differ, no matter what particular faith they prescribe to.

Croesus, I will pray for you.

I don't believe in prayer, as an agnostic, but I do believe in the power of positive thought, so let's hope Mr. Morrissey is safe and sound and soon returns.

Any further reports?

Missing ANZ pilot
 

All HKG pilots,
we as a group need to help in the search for this man. We need to put ourselves forward to assist in any way we can. We have amongst ourselves experienced walkers, we need to do something to help his family and of couse the man himself. Does anyone know of any point of contact.

Does anyone know how we can get involved in the search?

You guys should have been out searching at first light on Thursday. Talking about organising a search when it's just before sunset, three days after the event, is somewhat forlorn. His mate should never have left him without a rendezvous plan.

...YOU guys should have been....blah, blah, blah... Really....and what have YOU been doing you supercilious git?

I think if you read the above SCMP post AGAIN you will clearly see that they did plan to meet up in 1 hours time. After which the friend promptly raised the alarm.

What would you have done?

Captain Dart
 

Try having a bit of respect for others. If believers want to pray for the guy, then so much the better - who needs you coming on here and suggesting they are just too lazy or unintelligent to read science books?

No-one is trying to convert you, so why not shut up and have a minimum of dignity. Mind you, this forum is stuffed full of loud, boring a*** holes with an over inflated sense of their own importance, so you actually fit in pretty well.

Don't bother replying, I won't be back here to read any more ramblings from people like you. Have a nice day.

I love science
 

I love to read on science. And what I have read is this.
Big Bang: In the beginning was nothing and when this nothing blew up, there were all the atoms the next second.
Bible says: In the beginining was the word and the word was with God.
I am not sure which version needs more faith? I have a tendency to believe, that the supernatural theory is more plausible for me, because it involves somebody who designed the universe with all its beauty. But I am never going to critisize the ateist's faith. I think that everybody has his right to believe his own theory, be it believing in Big Bang as a theory of everything from nothing.
Yes and I am also praying for the man!

Biggest Scam in Human History!
 

PBY,

So who created the one who created the universe then??? I assume you call him god.

Why does "god" choose to kill more people in third world poor countries as opposed to the developed world? Malaria? HIV? Tsetse? Cholera? Natural disaster?

Anyone? Anyone?

PS. I hope the missing Captain is found in good health today!!!

I wish I could be out there looking for him.

I know these trails ok. He must have ventured out of the main trail to still be missing. Some of those secondary trail can be quite treacherous. And if you find yourself with only a broken leg out where no one goes by with no cellphone coverage, there's not much you can do. It's amazing how lost in the middle of nowhere you can find yourself in HK, and only a couple of miles from civilization as the crow flies...

I'd like to know how the research effort is organized too. The Pat Sing Leung isn't that long, and covering the main and all secondary trails in the area can't take that long for a decent sized group of rescuers.

My post deleted after I belatedly considered friends of Capt. Morrissey who may be viewing this thread.

If I remember correctly there was a very active line of thunderstorms that crossed the territory from north to south on the evening of 5th Aug.
I don't know this particular trail but is it subject to flash floods? I have seen these in the Sai Kung country park and they can turn a small stream into a raging torrent in a matter of minutes.
From what I saw over the airport there was a lot of lightning associated with this particular goup of cells. Not a good time to be caught out in the open.

A hat was found this afternoon but still not sure it was the pilot's or not.