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4. POLICE ENQUIRIES SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF THE HUEY FONG HAVE EN DIRECTED TOWARDS ESTABLISHING WHETHER THE MASTER'S CLAIM THAT HE RESCUED REFUGEES DURING A CHANCE ENCOUNTER AT SEA WHILE HIS ENGINE HAD BROKEN DOWN CAN BE SUBSTANTIATED. AS A RESULT OF THESE ENQUIRIES, THE MASTER HAS BEEN CHARGED UNDER THE MARINE SHIPPING- ORDINANCE WITH BRINGING EXCESS PASSENGERS TO HONG KONG. TWO. FURTHER COMMON LAW CONSPIRACY CHARGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST THE MASTER AND TEN OTHER PERSONS, POLICE INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE AND FURTHER CHARGES MAY BE PREFERRED, NO DATE HAS YET BEEN FIXED
FOR THE TRIAL OF THOSE CHARGED.
5. THE SKYLUCK IS THE SECOND OCEAN-GOING VESSEL TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG THIS YEAR WITH PASSENGERS FROM VIETNAM ABOARD. LIKE THE HUEY FONG, IT IS PANAMANIAN-REGISTERED (THE HUEY FONG WAS, DEREGISTERED BEFORE IT ENTERED HONG KONG WATERS) AND THE MASTER IS FROM TAIWAN. IT ENTERED HONG KONG WATERS EARLY ON THE MORNING OF 7 FEBRUARY WITHOUT REPLYING TO MARINE DEPARTMENT SIGNALS ASKING IT TO IDENTIFY ITSELF. THE CAPTAIN AND SEVEN OTHER PEOPLE ABOARD HAVE BEEN ASSISTING THE POLICE WITH THEIR ENQUIRIES. THE MASTER HAS CLAIMED THAT THE 2638 PEOPLE ON BOARD WERE RESCUED AT SEA. THIS CLAIM IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED.
6. WHAT IS KNOWN OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE SURROUNDING THE VOYAGES OF THE HUEY FONG AND THE SKYLUCK LEAVES NO DOUBT THAT PRIOR ARRANGE- MENTS WERE MADE FOR THE PASSENGERS TO BE TAKEN ON BOARD. REFUGEES FROM THE HUEY FONG HAVE TOLD THE LOCAL PRESS THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THEIR PASSAGE THROUGH INTERMEDIARIES.
IT IS IN ANY CASE INHERENTLY IMPROBABLY THAT SUCH LARGE NUMBERS COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN ABOARD WITHOUT PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS KNOWN TO
THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN VIETNAM.
7. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PAID TO SECURE A PASSAGE SEEMS TO VARY
ACCORDING THE THE PROVINCE CONCERNED. FOR THOSE ON THE HUEY FONG THE RATE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN TWELVE TAELS OF GOLD PER ADULT, SIX TAFLS PER JUVENILE AND NO CHARGE FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE. ONE TAEL IS WORTH APPROXIMATELY £130. THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS, BORN OUT TO SOME EXTENT BY THE QUANTITY OF GOLD FOUND ON THE HUEY FONG,
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