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Footage shows last time Australian-Singaporean couple seen in Taiwan following earthquake

CCTV footage shows the last known movements of the couple, who are missing after Taiwan’s largest earthquake in 25 years | WATCH

Missing Australian-Singaporean couple Neo Siew Choo and Sim Hwee Kok.
Missing Australian-Singaporean couple Neo Siew Choo and Sim Hwee Kok.

CCTV footage shows the last sighting of Australian-Singaporean couple Neo Siew Choo and Sim Hwee Kok who are missing in Taiwan following its largest earthquake in 25 years.

The 14-second clip, released by Taiwan’s National Fire Agency, shows the married couple getting off a bus at Shakadang Trail inside Taroko National Park – a well-known hiking path – about 7.20am.

About an hour later, the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake would strike.

Video from inside a bus shows the last time missing Singaporean-Australian were seen.
Video from inside a bus shows the last time missing Singaporean-Australian were seen.
Video from inside a bus shows the last time missing Singaporean-Australian were seen.
Video from inside a bus shows the last time missing Singaporean-Australian were seen.

The couple had been staying in Hualien City on the east cost of Taiwan before boarding a bus into the national park about 6.30am.

Over the weekend, search and rescue teams reportedly located the bus driver safe but trapped inside his vehicle at a recreation stop in the national park.

Special search and rescue team leader Chen Yifeng told local Taiwanese media the team was focusing on the Shakadang trail in their search efforts – part of which had collapsed during the earthquake. A foreign drone team were also surveying the area.

The bodies of three people reported missing on the Shakadang Trail were found on Saturday, taking the death toll to 13. Three others, including Ms Choo and Mr Kok, are still missing.

Volunteer Sunny Sandro Wang who runs the “Hualien earthquake relief real-time information” Facebook group made contact with the sister of the Mr Kok, who lives in Singapore, on Saturday. She was initially reported to be travelling to Taiwan to help with the recovery efforts.

At least 13 people have died and more than 1100 people have been injured in the massive earthquake.

Joanna Panagopoulos

Joanna started her career as a cadet at News Corp’s local newspaper network, reporting mostly on crime and courts across Sydney's suburbs. She then worked as a court reporter for the News Wire before joining The Australian’s youth-focused publication The Oz.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/footage-shows-last-time-australiansingaporean-couple-seen-in-taiwan-following-earthquake/news-story/bf7b99398f82bf65447f507bc8e9202d