How Crowded is Hong Kong?

First published: 05th April 2012

The answer has to be "Very!" when, in two consecutive months a person falling from a building have resulted in two deaths on each occasion, the faller and an innocent passer-by below. A single incident is a tragic freak accident, two could be the start of a pattern.

Hong Kong is a city of about seven million people, famed for its bustle and numerous high-rises, one small island just to the south of Hong Kong island rates as the third most densely populated island in the world but the suicide rate is 26th in the world. Lower than the rest of China and also Japan, France and Finland. Hong Kong is also a safe territory, with low rates of violent crime.

The first incident was in March, when an 84-year old man died after being hit by a 37-year old man who jumped to his death from a building in To Kwa Wan. The second was on 4th April when a 55-year old woman jumped 32 floors from the rooftop of Shun On Mansion in Tai Koo Shing, landing on a 49-year old Filipino maid.

Is this negligent homicide on the part of the jumpers?


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