Hong Kong Senior Goes Swimming During Super Typhoon, Immediately Regrets It

October 24, 2016

When Typhoon Haima made landfall in Hong Kong, most citizens sought the safety and comfort inside the confines of their homes. The supertyphoon, which has just left a trail of death and destruction in the Philippines, prompted the local observatory in Hong Kong to warn the public to stay away from the shoreline due to rough seas. One sporty elderly man, however, had something different in mind.

Ignoring the tropical storm warning, Tsing Yi decided it was a good idea to go swimming in the open sea on Friday afternoon, reported Coconuts Hong Kong. The typhoon however, proved too powerful for the senior Hongkonger, eventually leaving him stranded and in need of rescue. Video footage of the incident emerged online and immediately went viral on Hong Kong social media.

Firefighters from the Fire Services Department came to the rescue of the daredevil who earned a flood of criticisms from netizens for his careless action.

“What a waste of human and material resources. The government should introduce legislature that penalises anyone who needs saving after continuing to take part in outdoor activities when the No. 8 signal’s up,” one netizen pointed out.

Many pointed out that the firefighters were put into harm’s way because of the man’s actions.

Before the typhoon hit, schools and offices were closed, more than 700 flights were canceled or delayed and roads were cleared of cars in Hong Kong. Another elderly man, dubbed as the “Starbucks Uncle,” became a local hero after photos of him calmly reading a newspaper in a flooded Starbucks branch went viral.

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