On the morning of August 3, 2023, a body was found floating in the waters off Sham Shui Po's Tai Wai Tide Shelter in Kowloon at 7:46 AM. The police were alerted by a passerby and upon arriving, the fire department secured the rescue of the man, who was later confirmed deceased. The dead man, identified as 61-year-old Lei (last name), was found to have blood on his face and his arms were stiffly raised. Police have taken his belongings, including a black bag, and assigned the case to the investigation of body discovery with the specific cause of death pending the results of the autopsy.
Several suicide prevention hotlines and resources are available in Hong Kong, such as the Samaritan Fund, Crisis Center (emotional support), whose contact number is 18111 for Cantonese and other languages, or online resources like "Open Up" for youth, accessible at https://www.openup.hk/service. The Samaritan Fund's 24-hour hotline for mental health support and suicide prevention is 2389 2222. Various other services including life crisis counseling, mental health awareness, and help for financial difficulties are also available for support.
With the ongoing discussion on mental health and suicide prevention in Hong Kong, such incidents highlight the importance of accessible mental health resources and support systems. The government and non-government organizations continue to advocate for better understanding and intervention strategies to address the issue. The community plays a crucial role in recognizing signs of distress and encouraging dialogue around mental health.