CONFIDENTIAL
HKK020/1
RECEIVED
2
GRS 500
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY F C O 290700Z
FM HONG KONG 290308Z FEB 80
TO FLASH PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 48 OF 29 FEBRUARY
INFO FLASH MODUK
ken
No
RITR
INFO IMMEDIATE F C O, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
INCIDENT IN DEEP BAY.
1. AT APPROXIMATELY 0030 THIS MORNING THERE WAS A COLLISION
BETWEEN A ROYAL NAVY HOVERCRAFT AND A CHINESE PATROL CRAFT IN DEEP BAY (NORTH-WEST OF THE COLONY). THIS IS AN AREA IN HONG KONG
WATERS WHICH THE CHINESE TRADITIONALLY, AND BY RIGHT, ALSO PATROL. BOTH VESSELS WERE SLIGHTLY DAMAGED AND WE UNDERSTAND
THAT A CHINESE SEAMAN SUFFERED A LEG INJURY. FOLLOWING THE COLLISION, THE CHINESE PATROL CRAFT RETIRED TO SHORE BUT WAS REPLACED BY ANOTHER WHICH PREVENTED THE HOVERCRAFT LEAVING.
AT ABOUT 0430 A PARTY OF FIVE MEN, THREE ARMED, BOARDED THE HOVERCRAFT FROM THE CHINESE PATROL CRAFT. THEY ARE STILL ON
BOARD.
2. FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, TWO POLICE LAUNCHES WERE SENT TO THE
SCENE. AFTER A TENSE PERIOD, DURING WHICH THE CHINESE PATROL CRAFT UNCOVERED THEIR GUNS AND MADE AN ATTEMPT TO TOW THE
HOVERCRAFT TOWARDS THE CHINESE COAST, A HONG KONG POLICE OFFICER
BOARDED THE CHINESE PATROL CRAFT TO OPEN DISCUSSIONS IN AN ATTEMPT TO SORT OUT THE INCIDENT. HE WAS LATER JOINED BY
CDR LARMOUTH, SENIOR OFFICER OF THE HONG KONG SQUADRON. DISCUSSIONS
ARE STILL CONTINUING. THE CHINESE INITIALLY DEMANDED THAT THE BRITISH PARTY SHOULD GO TO THE MAINLAND. THIS WAS REFUSED. THE HONG KONG PARTY HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO AGREE STATEMENTS ON THE INCIDENT, BUT THAT THE CHINESE BOARDING PARTY
MUST FIRST LEAVE THE HOVERCRAFT AND ALLOW IT TO RETURN TO BASE.
3. THERE ARE NOW 6 CHINESE VESSELS IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF
THE INCIDENT. BESIDES THE 2 POLICE PATROL CRAFT REFERRED TO ABOVE
WE HAVE HMS WOLVERTON SOME DISTANCE AWAY BUT WITHIN SIGHT.
CONFIDENTIAL
/4. THE