Fisherman hauls up precious wood worth HK$1 billion  

香港渔民疑捞获稀世巨型沉香木 或价值过亿(图)

A piece of huge agalwood assessed at one billion Hong Kong dollars ($128 million) was found by a fisherman in Hong Kong. (Photo source: Sing Tao Daily)

(ECNS) -- A piece of huge agalwood assessed at one billion Hong Kong dollars ($128 million) was found by a fisherman in Hong Kong last Thursday when he went out fishing, Sing Tao Daily reported Monday.

The fisherman, surnamed Kwok, has been fishing for 47 years. Kwok and three of his crew went on a fishing trip last Thursday. Instead of harvesting fish, they caught a large piece of wood, much to his disappointment.

"I thought it was unlucky to catch wood on my first fishing day after Spring Festival," Kwok said.

However, when he came to see the wood in his net the next day, the fisherman was shocked to find the wood was emanating a fragrant odor.

Yellow oil flowed out from the wood after Kwok whittled a piece of bark from it.

After searching for information about agalwood, a kind of precious herb, Kwok concluded that that's what he had.

With a circumference of over 2.8 meters, the large piece of wood may be valued at one billion Hong Kong dollars if it is confirmed as agalwood, according to an expert.

Kwok said that he had hired a lawyer and a notary officer to help him identify the value of the wood.

Kwok said if the wood turns out to be a piece of agalwood, he will sell it for cash and donate part of it to charity.

Crowned the "diamond of plants", agalwood is a kind of rare medicinal herb. There is an old saying, "One gram of agalwood is as valuable as a gram of gold."