PHILA SIU PHILA.SIU@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 25 October, 2015, 8:44pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 25 October, 2015, 9:53pm
Police received a call about the accident at 7pm. They are now working to rescue the 174 passenger and crew on board. Photos: Edmond So
A high-speed ferry struck an “unidentified object” south of Lantau Island tonight, leaving at least 50 passengers injured and water seeping into the vessel, which reportedly lost power after the collision.
Marine police have been working to ensure the safety of the 163 passengers and 11 crew onboard, who were heading to Hong Kong from Macau.
The ship docked at Government Pier in Central at about 8.30pm. Many of the passengers were led off to ambulances, some on stretchers.
The company that operated the vessel is unknown.
Police received a call at about 7pm reporting that a vessel had hit an object near Siu A Chau, one of the Soko Islands. RTHK reported that the vessel had lost power.
The emergency comes just two weeks after fire broke out in the engine room of a Turbojet ferry from Macau carrying 134 passengers, all of whom were safely evacuated.
In June last year, 70 people were injured when a ferry from Hong Kong slammed into a breakwater off Macau’s main ferry terminal. In November 2013, 87 passengers were hurt when a ferry apparently struck an unknown object off Hei Ling Chau, another island off Lantau.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1871962/drama-macau-ferry-police-rescue-under-way-after-50-hurt-high
