CONFIDENTIAL
HOSPITAL. IN ADDITION TWO SICK CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHER ARE PNG EVACUATED BY HELICOPTER TODAY FOLLOWING A REQUEST FROM THE MASTER FOR EMERGENCY HELP. WE HAVE NO DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT CONDITIONS OF LIFE ON BOARD. FROM WHAT WE CAN OBSERVE OF THOSE
WHO APPEAR ON THE UPPER DECK, THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT SHORTAGE OF FOOD NOR SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM:
378
C. WE GAVE DETAILS OF THE MASTER'S/CLAIM ABOUT PICKING UP REFUGEES IN PARA 2 OF MY TELNO 1480. HIS LOG BOOK, WHICH WE HAVE
SINCE SEEN, SAYS THAT HE CAME ACROSS NINE BOATS ON 17 DECEMBER AT LAT 09 DEGREES 31 MINUTES NORTH AND LONG 109 DEGREES 07-MINUTES EAST. THE LOG ALSO SAYS THAT THE SHIP HAD ENGINE TROUBLE WHICH TOCK
TWO DAYS TO FIX. SINCE THEN OTHER REFUGEES ON THE BOAT, WHEN CONTACTED BY THE PRESS, HAVE PRODUCED DIFFERENT STORIES, WE DO NOT
KNOW IF THE NINE BOATS WERE ALLEGED TO BE IN CONVOY, WE ARE EXTREMELY SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE WHOLE STORY OF PICKING UP BOATS IN
DISTRESS AND ARE TRYING TO CHECK BY INTERVIEWING THOSE MEDICALLY
EVACUATED: AND
D. THE TONG AN CLAIMS TO HAVE HONG KONG AS ITS FIRST PORT OF CALL.
YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM MY TELNO 138 TO BANGKOK THAT WE ARE
ENDEAVOURING TO CHECK THIS,
MACLEHOSE
2
FILES
SEAD
HK & GD
FED
SAD
UND
EID
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D
M & VD
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS/PUS
MR. CORTAZZI
MR.MURRAY
MR. LEAHY
2
CONFIDENTIAL