Mid-Autumn Festival tragedy

This tragic story reported in the Standard of Hong Kong by Adele Wong on Monday, October 5, 2009:

An 18-year-old was missing and presumed drowned in the waters off Shek O last night, after a Mid-Autumn Festival party that went terribly wrong.

The man, Lo Siu-cheung, spent Saturday night at the beach with about a dozen friends and schoolmates to celebrate the festival and enjoy a barbecue. Early yesterday, after most had gone home, Lo tagged along when two remaining members of the group decided to have a dip around 7am.

A source said Lo did not know how to swim, and was paddling around clinging to a float. About 10 meters out, he got sucked under a wave and failed to surface.

It is really sad that an otherwise happy celebration the brightest full moon of Mid-Autumn Festival will end up a tragedy. It just can't be over-emphasized the perils of being on the beach. Ocean waves are not something that can be taken for granted. It was not even a freaque wave involved here.