Hong Kong teen missing for a week due to exam stress, found naked and alive a week later

A teen in Hong Kong was miraculously found alive after going missing for a week in a forest.

Matthew Tsang, 17, a student at Diocesan Boys' School, was reported by Sing Tao Daily to have gone missing last Wednesday (Oct 4) after leaving school at noon without his phone, taking only his wallet. 

His mother, Amy Chan, posted on Facebook then, rallying support from all to help find her son. 

"Daddy and mommy love you very much. We missed you. We are proud to have you as our son. Please come home and we will face everything together," Tsang's parents wrote.

Chan's Facebook post garnered public attention in Hong Kong, initiating a search and rescue team to find her son.

According to the police, the boy was last seen at Siu Lek Yuen, a residential district in Hong Kong, headed in the direction of the Ma On Shan Country Park at around 2:30pm that day, The Standard reported.

Alumni roped in to help find boy

A joint force of Hong Kong Fire Services Department, Police, Civil Aid Service, and alumni of Diocesan Boys' School and several civilian rescue teams were then deployed to search the park, reported Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP).

Despite the heavy rainfall and high winds brought by Typhoon Koinu, the rescue team did not stop their search for Tsang.

Chow Cheuk Fung, Station Commander of Sha Tin Fire Station, told Hong Kong media that they used multiple methods including search and rescue dogs to find Tsang. 

They also took over 10,000 pictures of the park from drones and analysed them using artificial intelligence.

Boy found naked

Tsang was finally found alive on Wednesday (Oct 11) afternoon, naked in a bush near a stream, reported HKFP.

"We gave him warm clothes and energy drinks. After assessment, we thought it best to send the boy to hospital by helicopter," Chow told local media on Wednesday evening.

Elated that her son was found after a week of search, Chan wrote on Facebook, "It's God's miracle that even though he didn't eat, he still lives".

According to Chan, Tsang was "thoroughly soaked" by Typhoon Koinu and to avoid getting sick, he took off his wet clothes and sheltered in the bushes. 

"[Matthew] managed to survive using his strong willpower and drinking water from the stream," she added.

It is unclear why Tsang went missing but Chan told Hong Kong media that her son, who will be sitting for this year's Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination, had recently been experiencing academic pressure and stress.

Expressing her gratitude to the search and rescue team for their efforts, Chan wrote: "Matthew's physical and mental conditions are stable, and is now staying in hospital for treatment. Please don't worry. Thank you everyone!" 

ALSO READ: 3 15-year-old teens go missing within a month

ashwini.balan@asiaone.com