The ashes of 11 people were scattered off a small island about 1,6km from downtown Hong Kong as a new burial-at-sea scheme went into operation in the space-scarce city, the government said on Sunday.
Family members and religious ministers took to the high seas aboard a specially decked out boat for the burials on Saturday afternoon.
Each deceased was given a religious send-off of their family’s choosing before their ashes were tossed over the side, a government spokesperson said.
The government gave the go-ahead for burials at specific sites around the southern Chinese territory’s coast last year in a bid to ease competition for burial space in Hong Kong’s choked cemeteries and crematoria.
One mourner told the Sunday Morning Post newspaper: “My brother loved his freedom … scattering his ashes at sea can finally give him his freedom.”
The government said that as well as a solution to the lack of burial space, sea burials are also cheaper and better for the environment. — AFP