Six people holding Hong Kong passports Saturday were confirmed missing in the aftermath of Sunday's huge tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Cai Zhiyuan, an official with the immigration department of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, told Xinhua that nine Hong Kongers have been confirmed safe through various channels since Friday evening, making the previous figure of 15 slide down.

Cai said earlier Friday that the number of missing Hong Kongers was 24 and later that night the number decreased to 15.

Cai, among the four-member special task force, arrived here Wednesday to clinch the whereabouts of all missing Hong Kongers in Sri Lanka and the Maldives during the tsunami tragedy.

"We will do our best to offer them all the aid they need," said Cai.

The rescue team Friday brought back one holding Hong Kong passport and one holding passport of the People's Republic of China from the southern port city of Matara.

The pair, having worked in a local business for years, told Xinhua that they were stuck in the battered coastal city.

Cai said the team will keep on the rescue effort till the rest of missing people are found.

Source: Xinhua