HONG KONG, Sept 7: She appeared from nowhere on a rain-tossed morning, sitting on a Hong Kong shoreline, unable to speak. Now she sits in a hospital bed, staring into space, mute and expressionless, her charts naming her simply as ‘Unknown’.

The mysterious appearance of the Western woman last week beside the runway of a disused harbourside airport has put Hong Kong authorities in a bind, the police chief handling the unusual case said on Wednesday.

“We’ve tried interpreters in many different languages and sign-language experts but none of them appear to get though to her,” chief inspector Victor Ng said.

Her discovery comes just weeks after the identity was revealed of a mystery man who appeared wandering along a beach in England in April.

The tall, thin man, who refused to speak or respond to written communications in four months under hospital observation, became known as the “Piano Man” after he he reportedly demonstrated a talent for the grand piano.

He was later revealed to be 20-year old German Andreas Grassl after he suddenly spoke for the first time last month. He reportedly admitted pulling the stunt for attention.

So far interpreters have been called in to speak to Hong Kong’s mysterious woman in English, French and Portuguese as well as Pakistani and Indian languages.

The woman, believed to be aged between 35 and 45, and who is described as slightly built at 1.6 metres tall and with light brown shoulder-length hair, was discovered on Friday.—AFP