Shanghai Daily News

A Shanghai-based hotel executive and some of his family were reported missing yesterday as another batch of city tourists vacationing on Thailand's Phuket Island when Sunday's tsunami struck returned home safely.

Reggie Shiu, a Chinese-born American who is a senior vice president for Accor Asia, had traveled from Shanghai to Thailand for the Christmas holiday.

Eve Zhou, assistant marketing and communications manager for the international hotel group's China division, said Shiu, his wife and two teenage boys have not been heard from since the earthquake-triggered waves swept across South Asia. Zhou said Shiu's younger daughter, who was not with the family when the tsunamis struck, is safe.

Meanwhile, 112 city residents who had been vacationing in Phuket landed in Shanghai at 7am yesterday on a special flight ordered by city government.

"It's great to be able to come back alive with my mom," said Sun Chen, who suffered an arm fracture and bruises when she was swept up by huge waves.

More than 500 locals were in the disaster area when the tragedy struck, the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission said yesterday.

More than 400 have returned, and the rest were expected to arrive in Shanghai this morning.