38 145
CFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 260400Z
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTAY NO. 51
INDEX
29 DEC 1978
DESK OFF.
No
29/10
$ RY
en
382
FM HONG KONG 250411Z DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE BANGKOK
TELEGRAM NUMBER 138 OF 25 DECEMBER 1978
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO UKMIS GENEVA WASHINGTON PRIORITY BRUNEI AND
MANILA.
378
See 388
BRUNEI TELNO 17 TO ME (REPEATED TO YOU SAVING): MV TONG AN.
1. THE TONG AN, A PANAMANIAN REGISTERED, HONG KONG.OWNED, VESSEL
CLAIMS TO HAVE PICKED UP ABOUT 2,300 REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM DURING
A VOYAGE FROM BANGKOK TO HONG KONG. THERE ARE SUSPICIOUS
CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE VOYAGE WHICH MAKE IT LIKELY THAT THE
PICKING UP OF REFUGEES WAS PRE-ARRANGED. THE TONG AN ATTEMPTED TO
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOW
ENTER BRUNEI AND WAS TOWED AWAY. HEADING FOR HONG KONG VIA MANILA.
2. WE ARE ANXIOUS TO ESTABLISH THE VESSEL'S DECLARED FIRST PORT OF CALL. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CHECK URGENTLY WITH THE BANGKOK PORT AUTHORITIES AND TELEGRAPH TO ME ALL THE DETAILS ON THE PORT CLEARANCE ISSUED TO THE MASTER BEFORE HE SAILED. WE BELIEVE HE
ARRIVED IN BANGKOK ON 20 NOVEMBER AND SAILED ON 3 DECEMBER.
MACLEHOSE
44
FILES
SEAD
HK & GD
FED
SAD
UND
EID
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D
MVD
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY MR LEAHY
CONFIDENTIAL