S'porean falls off cliff in China

His passion for photography took him to a scenic town in Sichuan province, China, with an attraction dubbed the "Paradise for Photographers".

But it would be the last place on earth the Singaporean would photograph.

Mr Tan Keng Chuan, 37, fell off a cliff and plunged 40m - about 13 storeys - to his death on Tuesday during a trip to the small highland town of Xin Du Qiao.

The town is in Kangding County, in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao reported that he was there with a group of four other avid photographers, including a woman. Armed with photography equipment, they were there to shoot the beautiful scenery.

Led by a local guide, they were hiking in a mountainous area looking for scenic spots when Mr Tan suddenly fell.

Lianhe Wanbao reported that it wasn't clear how he fell. It could have been due to the heavy photography equipment he was carrying or the slippery trek.

His fellow travellers quickly called for help, but were helpless as the location is very far out. It was reported that Mr Tan had a rough landing and by the time help arrived, he had died.

News of the tragedy reached Mr Tan's family quickly. His father, uncle and cousin are understood to have gone to China to arrange for his body to be repatriated back here.

A good friend of Mr Tan, who was not named, was reported as saying that in recent years, Mr Tan had got to know many photography enthusiasts and they would meet and arrange overseas trips.

He had been with such groups to places like England, Hungary, Egypt and China.

After each trip, he would post on Facebook photographs of the various places he had visited.

He was also an active member of a photography association here.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said: "The Singapore Consulate- General in Chengdu (Sichuan's provincial capital) is in touch with the next of kin of the deceased and has been providing consular assistance to the bereaved family."

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