An elderly man drowned after jumping into the ocean to rescue his stepdaughter who was swept away while taking photos along the shore of the popular sightseeing destination of Tung Lung Chau in Hong Kong’s southeastern waters on Tuesday.

According to police, the 71-year-old man and his 22-year-old stepdaughter were found floating about 30 to 40 metres away from the southern side of the island at around 1.17pm.

Officers arrived at the scene and rescued the two with the help of civilians. The woman was conscious but her stepfather was not when they were sent to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital. The man was later declared dead.

A police spokesman said an initial investigation had found that the woman was swept away by a huge wave while she stood about 10 metres away from the shore taking pictures.

Her stepfather swam into the sea to try and rescue her but failed. He had been hiking at Tung Lung Chau with his stepdaughter and wife, according to police.

The island, located off the tip of the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in Sai Kung, is a popular destination for camping, rock climbing and hiking.