World News: Hong Kong ferry disaster – 38 now confirmed dead

– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: A tug boat and a ferry collided off the coast of Lamma Island in Hong Kong on Monday evening, killing 38 people and injuring more than 100 others, local authorities said yesterday. Seven people have been arrested in connection with the deadly crash.

The accident happened at around 8:23pm local time on Monday when two vessels, “Sea Smooth” and Hong Kong Electric’s “Lamma IV”, collided off Yung Shu Wan Pier at Lamma Island, the third largest island in Hong Kong. The vessels were carrying at least 140 people combined.

Hong Kong’s Information Services Department said that at least 38 were confirmed to have died. Thirty of them were pronounced dead at the scene while eight others were pronounced dead on arrival at hospitals in the region. There are fears others may still be missing.

In addition to the fatalities, the department said a total of 101 people were reported to have been injured and were taken to five different hospitals. Two of the victims remained in a critical condition while 76 others, many with relatively minor injuries, were already discharged.

Seven people were arrested yesterday in connection with the accident, which caused the Lamma IV vessel to sink. Among them were the 56-year-old male captain and two male crew members of the sunken vessel, and the 54-year-old captain and three male crew members of another vessel. The arrests were for endangering the safety of others at sea. All were later released on bail.

“From the investigation so far, we’ve come to the suspicion that the crew responsible for manning the two vessels have not exercised the care required by law to ensure the safety of the vessels that they are navigating, as well as the people on board their vessels,” said Police Commissioner Tsang Wai-hung. “It is on this basis that they have been arrested to assist police inquiries…. The investigation will focus on criminal liability.”

The accident came as Hong Kong residents were celebrating the mid-autumn festival and China’s National Day. It is the worst maritime accident since August 1971 when Typhoon Rose caused the ferry ‘Fat Shan’ to capsize between Hong Kong and Macau, killing at least 73 people and leaving 15 others missing and presumed dead. Only four people survived that accident.

— Phuket Gazette Editors

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