Two vessels collide in HK; 23 still missing

Two vessels collided on Monday evening off the Lamma Island to the southwest of the Hong Kong Island, and a major rescue was underway, local police said. The vessel collision occurred at the seafront of the Lamma Island at 8:23 p.m. local time. The accident involved a tug boat and a ferry, which around 120 people were aboard, the city government said in a statement. An official with HK Electric, a local power supply company which rented the ferry for its staff for a one-day outing, said 124 people were on the ferry when it was hit in the middle part by the tug boat. By about 11:00 p.m. local time, 101 people had been rescued and sent to local hospitals, said the statement. Local media said one of the injured was unconscious. Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung has rushed to a pier near South Horizons in Ap Lei Chau in the Hong Kong Island to visit the injured people. He told reporters that relevant departments of the city government have made all-out efforts to rescue those who fell into the sea. He said the city government has set up an emergency coordination center. "Tonight, I and my colleagues will closely follow the developments of this accident. We will do all we can do to deal with the aftermath (of the accident)," Leung said.