Hong Kong Influencer Drowned After She Fell into a 5m Deep Pool While Taking Photos Near a Waterfall

If you’re an Instagrammer, let alone someone with thousands of followers, you’d want to take the perfect photo for your page.

After all, this could not only grow your following but help sell your brand as an influencer.

This search for the perfect picture can sometimes put you in danger, however, or as in the case of this influencer, cost you your life.

Hong Kong Influencer Drowned After She Fell into a 5m Deep Pool While Taking Photos Near a Waterfall

Hong Kong influencer Sophia Cheung fell to her death last Saturday (10 July) after losing her footing while taking some photos near a waterfall.

According to HK01, the 32-year-old and three friends went hiking at around 11 am that day at Ha Pak Lai, a remote hiking spot known for its scenic views.

At around 5pm, Cheung was standing at the Tsing Dai stream, taking photographs. At one point, she lost her footing and fell into the 5m deep pool below her.

Cheung had reportedly been taking selfies on the edge of a waterfall when she lost her footing.

HK01 reported that she then drowned in the pool.

Cheung’s friends immediately called the police, but it was too late. When rescuers arrived, they found her body and transported it via helicopter to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan.

There, she was declared dead.

Known For Daredevil Photos

According to TODAY, the influencer is known for her daredevil photos on her Instagram account.

She often shared photos of her treks, several of which show her sitting on the edge of cliffs.

In one post published in March, the 32-year-old can be seen balancing on one foot on a sharp rock that appears to be at the top of a mountain. The post was captioned: “Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try”.

Photo-related Accidents Not Uncommon

According to the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care in India, 259 people have died between Oct 2011 and Nov 2017 while taking selfies or pictures.

72.5% of the total deaths occurred in males and 27.5% in females, the report said.

In 2019, a 33-year-old French tourist in Thailand fell from the Na Mueang 2 waterfall in Koh Samui, Thailand while trying to take a selfie.

The man ended up dying from the fall.

Earlier this year, a woman in Odisha, India slipped and fell into a river while taking selfies near Kanakunda. Her body was later recovered.

Likes on social media can make us feel good, but they’re certainly not worth losing your life over.

Featured Image: Instagram (hike.sofi)