Australian youth musician found dead in Hong Kong hotel room

Dec 20, 2009, 3:56 GMT

Hong Kong - A 21-year-old Australian musician was dead and another member of the same orchestra critically ill Sunday after being found collapsed in their Hong Kong hotel room.

Joseph Hall, an oboe player with the Perth-based Western Australia Youth Orchestra, was pronounced dead on arrival in hospital after being discovered unconscious in his room early Saturday morning.

Trombonist Evan Williams, also 21, was found in the same room and was taken to hospital where his condition was critical, according to police.

The Sunday Morning Post newspaper described the case as a suspected double drugs overdose, but said no illicit substances were found at the scene.

A woman was taken away for questioning after the two Australians were found in the Kimberley Hotel in the city's Tsim Sha Tsui district and was helping police with inquiries, the newspaper said.

Orchestra leader Ben Burgess told the Sunday Morning Post: 'We are all devastated. It's an orchestra of 75 musicians and they have all been playing together for a long time.

'Perth is a very small place, especially musically. It's an isolated city where everyone knows each other. It's like a big country town, so this tragedy will hit everyone.'