Gambler kills self after losing $640,000

HONG KONG - A 51-year-old man jumped off a 13-storey floating casino after he lost five million Hong Kong dollars ($640,000) in a gamble.

The gambler, identified only as Xu, jumped off the Star Cruises’ vessel Super Star Aquarius Sunday while it was sailing to Hong Kong after an international trip, The Standard reported Monday.

Xu boarded the ship Saturday for a two-day gambling trip and was seen betting at a gambling table after dinner. He gambled till 8 a.m. Sunday and lost five million Hong Kong dollars, passengers said.

He was last seen wandering on the deck for about an hour before jumping off the ship at around 9.50 a.m. when the vessel was sailing south of the Kwo Chau islands.

Marine police dispatched rescuers who searched for Xu for almost an hour before fishing him out of the water. He was certified dead by the ship’s doctor.