CNY scare for family after dad goes missing

SINGAPORE - A 56-year-old engineer was supposed to take out the trash on Saturday, but ended up vanishing without a trace. Days later, he was found in a hospital.

Mr Chan Boon Hock's mysterious disappearance prompted a frantic search by his family, Chinese newspaper Lianhe Wanbao reported yesterday.

His wife, who identified herself as Madam Wong, said that her husband appeared normal when he had breakfast with her and their 14-year-old son on Saturday morning, at their flat in Chua Chu Kang Avenue 4.

Before they left their home to pay a relative a Chinese New Year visit, Mr Chan went to the lift lobby to dispose of some rubbish.

Madam Wong and her son realised something was amiss when he did not return after a few minutes. A search of the block and neighbourhood proved fruitless.

Mr Chan had left the flat without his identification, money and house keys.

Madam Wong said her husband has no known health problems, apart from a pinched nerve in his neck which sometimes causes slow speech and movement.

She and her son reported the disappearance to police, and anxiously searched and waited for news for four days.

They were told by the police yesterday that Mr Chan had been found. He had been warded at Tan Tock Seng Hospital since Sunday.

It is not known how he landed up there. Lianhe Wanbao said it understands that a member of the public found Mr Chan not far from his home, standing by a motorcycle and looking dazed.

He was apparently unable to remember his identity until yesterday, when he suddenly blurted out his family's contact details.