More than 110 passengers and five crew members
were injured when a jetfoil hit an underwater object near Tai
O early this (Saturday) afternoon.
The accident occurred about one mile off Tai O at 12.25 pm when
the jetfoil "Flores" was on its way to Macao. There
were eight crew members and 236 passengers on board.
Several fire services and police launches and Marine Department
vessels were despatched to the scene immediately after the report
was received. All the casualties have been taken to hospitals
for treatment.
The Police has made arrangement for the other passengers to return
to town. The damaged jetfoil will be towed back to a dockyard
in Cheung Sha Wan.
Immediately after the incident, the Director of Home Affairs,
Mrs Shelley Lau, her deputy, the respective District Officers
and Assistant Director of Social Welfare, Mrs Elisa Leung, went
to the hospitals to visit the injured and to ensure that help
desks were set up efficiently.
"Setting up help desks is one of the recommendations made
in the Garley Building Fire investigation report," Mrs Lau
said.
"This is the first time the recommendation has been put
into practice."
Home Affairs Department co-ordinates the running of the help
desks together with staff of Social Welfare Department, the Police
and the Hospital Authority.
Anyone enquiring about the casualties can call the hotline 29903177.
The Home Affairs Department will continue in the next few days
to offer assistance to the injured and their families.
Meanwhile, the Director of Marine has ordered a preliminary inquiry
into the incident.
The Marine Department has issued navigational warning message
to shipmasters through Very High Frequency channels 12, 14 and
67.
The department has also informed the Guangdong Maritime Rescue
Co-ordination Centre about the incident.
A marine patrol boat will stay at the scene tonight.
Saturday, 2 May 1998
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