Recently, in Baokang County, Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, a wealthy boss worth millions of yuan (Chinese currency, hereinafter) went missing after falling into a reservoir while fishing, causing widespread concern. As of now, 14 days have passed, and he still remains unaccounted for.
According to reports from the Chinese state-run media, the missing man, referred to as Zhang, aged 34, is a well-known boss of a local mining company with assets worth millions of yuan. On the evening of September 10, Zhang departed from Baokang County, taking a speedboat provided by a friend to go fishing at the Sanliping Power Station reservoir. Around 9 p.m. that night, Zhang disappeared after falling into the water while fishing. The incident took place in the water area at the border of Fang County in Shiyan City, where the water surface is wide and the average depth is significant, posing challenges for the rescue operation.
The speedboat driver recalled that on the night of the accident, Zhang was sitting on the fishing chair at the bow of the boat without wearing a life jacket. For unknown reasons, the fishing chair suddenly tilted backward, causing Zhang to fall into the water. Following the incident, the speedboat driver alerted the authorities, and Zhang’s relatives and friends organized five salvage teams to search and salvage at the reported location of the fall as described by the driver. They also utilized technologies such as sonar, underwater drones, and diving in the search and rescue efforts. Despite 14 days passing, Zhang’s whereabouts remain unknown. On September 24, the Fang County Public Security Bureau initiated an investigation.
The report mentioned that a search on the enterprise information platform revealed that Zhang operates a mining company locally and is the actual controller of a mining enterprise.
This incident has sparked discussions online, with some netizens expressing their concerns. One netizen commented, “Something doesn’t feel right, going to the reservoir in the middle of the night on a speedboat to fish without wearing a life jacket. It seems now there is no evidence of what happened.” Another wrote, “To become a mining boss at the age of 34 is too careless. As the saying goes, one person should not enter the temple alone, two people should not look down a well together, and three people should not embrace a tree.”