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378
2
F
7
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DESKBY 241835Z DEC
FM BRUNEI 24363BZ DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR)
TELNO 17 OF 24 DECEMBER
HISK 243/1
KELTED IN REGARY NO. 51 29 DEC 1978
INDEX
REGISTRY
Action T
on
No N25/12 012
CLE
See
382
INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR SINGAPORE MANILA JAKARTA
UKMIS GENEVA
INFO SAVING BANGKOK AND HANOI
377
YOUR TELNO 32 OF 24 DECEMBER: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. TONG AN HAS NOW LEFT BRUNET WATERS AND WAS OBSERVED
PROCEEDING IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION UNTIL SHE DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR SCREENS.
--
2. THE MASTER DID NOT DISCLOSE HIS NEXT PORT OF CALL AND WE KNOW
OF NO APPEALS FOR ASSISTANCE BY THE MASTER OTHER THAN MESSAGE IN UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 1877 OF 22 DECEMBER TO FCO. ON ARRIVAL IN BRUNET MASTER ASKED IF HE COULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THE SULTAN AND
LATER WITH QUOTE THE BRITISH REPRESENTATIVE UNQUOTE. HE DID NOT
REVEAL UNDER WHOSE ORDERS HE WAS OPERATING.
3. TOW WAS UNDERTAKEN BY MEANS OF PASSING A STROP AROUND THE
ANCHOR CABLE THUS LIFTING THE ANCHOR FROM THE SEA BED AND USING IT TO TO THE VESSEL. THE VESSEL WAS TOWED BY THE PACIFIC BULLDOG, A POWERFUL TUG ON CHARTER TO BRUVET SHELL PETROLEUM, BJT REQUISITIONED FOR THE PURPOSE BY THE BRUNET GOVERNMENT.
4. ONE OTHER TUG HERE DECLINED TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT AND MOVED
OUT INTO INTERNATIONAL WATERS TO AVOID THE REQUISITIONING
5. 53 VIETNAMESE WHO JUMPED OVERBOARD WHEN THE TOW COMMENCED WERE
LATER TRANSFERRED TO LIFE RAFTS. LINES FROM THE LIFE RAFTS WERE
TIROWN TO THE TONG AN AND THE TONG THEN TOOK BACK THE PEOPLE ON
THE LIFE RAFTS.
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/6.1 UNDERSTAND