Falling into the water during Tai Chi
Dutch CEO saves drowning people in Hong Kong
11/22/2025 – 04:17Reading time: 2 minutes
Drama on a beach in Hong Kong: A woman is threatened with drowning. A Dutch entrepreneur took bold action.
Dutch businessman Ed van de Weerd, CEO of the European cosmetics division of global chain Watson, was hailed as a hero in Hong Kong. According to Chinese media reports, the man from the Netherlands saw a woman apparently drowning in the sea in the Hung Hom residential area.
According to media reports, he jumped into the water without hesitation. “I was just there and saw someone in need of help,” Chinese website HK01.com quoted him as saying, “anyone would do that. Life is precious. It’s an honor that I can help.”
According to the site, Ed van de Weerd had traveled from the Netherlands for a business meeting. The incident occurred at 11 p.m. Passersby apparently threw life jackets at the woman, but this did not help. The woman started coughing, then van de Weerd jumped into the water.
He first stabilized it with a life vest and then brought it to shore. A jogger saw this and called the police. The action lasted no more than 48 seconds, wrote HK01, citing video of the rescue. After the woman was taken to shore, emergency services took over further care.
The woman apparently accidentally fell into the water while practicing Tai Chi on the beach. He was taken to hospital for further treatment. Police assumed it was an accident, they said.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Ed van de Weerd has been US CEO of Watson Health & Beauty Continental Europe since September 2025. He is also International Commercial Director for the company and is based in Hong Kong.
AS Watson Group is the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer, operating more than 17,000 stores in 31 markets in Asia and Europe with brands including Watsons, Kruidvat and Superdrug. The company is part of CK Hutchison Holdings and is renowned for its long history in Hong Kong, dating back to 1841.
