New Rescue App Could 'hone In On Lost Hikers'

The founder of Hong Kong Outdoors has welcomed a new app the police plan to launch at the end of the year, which will use AI technology to find missing hikers.

Police say hikers will be able to input the time, date and area of their activities into the HK-SOS app, so AI can work out where to find them if they get lost.

Martin Williams told RTHK he could see ways in which the app could benefit hikers.

"If you're in trouble maybe you don't know exactly where you are and hopefully this app - if you send out an emergency message - maybe ... the services can really hone in on exactly where you are," Williams said.

He said it could help especially at night or where hikers were either lost or unsure of their location.

But Williams added that some hikers may have privacy concerns about being tracked.

However, Williams questioned how the app could work if hikers couldn't get a phone signal.

"I don't know how it will work via that," Williams said, adding that in some parts of the SAR, hikers could get a phone signal from the mainland, but not from Hong Kong service providers.