A 42-year-old Foodpanda deliveryman was killed after his motorcycle collided with a taxi in Kwai Chung yesterday.
Foodpanda, the online food and grocery delivery platform, confirmed that one of its delivery riders, a Pakistani, was killed in a traffic accident.
The deliveryman was riding his motorcycle along Wo Yi Hop Road toward Tsuen Wan when he collided with the taxi about 7 am.
He suffered head injuries and was certified dead at Yan Chai Hospital.
The male taxi driver, Lam, 66, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving causing death.
Foodpanda said it was deeply saddened by the accident and had visited the hospital to offer support to the victim's family.
A spokeswoman said the deliveryman was about to clock in for work when the tragedy happened.
He is eligible for insurance coverage because the crash happened within an hour before his scheduled working hour.
Foodpanda said it would provide additional funding and work with the insurance company. It would also provide support for the family.
Police said the man was riding a motorcycle along Wo Yi Hop Road in Lei Muk Shue when he made a right turn to Lai Lei Fa Street and collided head on with a taxi from the opposite direction.
He was thrown off his motorcycle and landed 10 meters away, with his helmet and pink Food Panda delivery box knocked to the ground.
He was rushed to Yan Chai Hospital unconscious.
Sources said the Pakistani was a Hong Kong ID card holder. His parents are living in the United Kingdom and he has a wife and daughter in Pakistan. All of them boarded flights to Hong Kong upon hearing news of his death.
The left front of the taxi was dented and the left windshield shattered.
Yesterday's accident was the second fatal case involving Foodpanda deliverers in seven months, with a 59-year-old, Chan, colliding with a bus on Sau Mau Ping Road in Kwun Tong on July 26.
The spokeswoman said the company has upgraded its insurance plan since February 1, including extending the time coverage to an hour before and after couriers' shifts and increasing the maximum compensation amount for accidental death and disablement from HK$360,000 to HK$500,000.