GRS 600
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 10090OZ FCO
TELNO 1791
OF 100805Z JUNE 86
KESTRICTED
102
Seel 101
Han 295
245/200Y
RECEIVEI
EGISTRY
17 JUN 1986
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
STOWAWAY ON BOARD M.V. NORTHLAND
WE ARE SURPRISED THAT THE UNHCR SHOULD BE ATTEMPTING TO TREAT
VU THEN CUONG AS A RESCUE-AT-SEA-CASE. HE IS, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, A STOWAWAY, WHO BOARDED THE M.V. NORTHLAND ON 29 MAY. HE WAS ABLE
TO DO SO BECAUSE HE WAS A WHARF LABOURER AT HONGA! IN VIETNAM. THE
NORTHLAND LEFT HANGAI ON 30 MAY AND VU WAS DISCOVERED BY THE CHIEF
COOK ON 2 JUNE. HE WAS LOCKED IN A CABIN THEREAFTER.
2. THE NORTHLAND ARRIVED IN KAOHSIUNG TAIWAN ON 3 JUNE. VU WAS
INTERVIEWED BY THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES. THE MASTER OF THE NORTHLAND
ASKED THE OWNER AND AGENT IN TAIWAN WHETHER VU COULD BE TAKEN BACK
TO HANGAN OR WHETHER HE COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER VESSEL OWNED
BY THE SAME COMPANY. THE TAIWAN IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES REFUSED
PERMISSION FOR THE LATTER OPTION AND THE OWNER EXPLAINED THAT THE
NORTHLAND HAD BEEN SOLD FOR SCRAP MAN KAOHSIUNG AND THEREFORE WOULD
NOT BE LEAVING AGAIN. IT WAS THEN DECIDED THAT THE VESSEL SHOULD
GO TO HONG KONG IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE STOWAWAY PROBLEM. THE
AMERICANS HERE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE UNHCR WAS PRIVY TO THIS
DECISION.
3. THE NORTHLAND ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 5 JUNE AND BEFORE ITS
ARRIVAL HERE THE UNHCR APPROACHED US ABOUT A VIETNAMESE REFUGEE ON BOARD. WE REFUSED TO ALLOW THE UNHCR ACCESS TO THE STOWAWAY. WE
ALSO RECEIVED A TELEX FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGING US TO ALLOW
THE UNHCR ACCESS TO VU.
4. WE ARE SATISFIED THAT VU IS A STOWAWAY. HE IS THE YOUNGEST IN HIS
FAMILY. HIS FATHERS A COALMINER AND HIS 4 BROTHERS AND 3 SISTERS ARE ALL MARRIED AND LIVING IN VIETNAM. HE HAS NO (NO) RELATIVES IN ANY OTHER COUNTRIES AND HE HAS ADMITTED SEVERAL TIMES THAT HE STOWED AWAY IN ORDER TO SEEK A BETTER STANDARD OF LIVING OUTSIDE VIETNAM. WE ARE TREATING VU AS A STOWAWAY. A REMOVAL NOTICE HAS BEEN SERVED
ON THE AGENTS (DODWELL) AND THE SHIP'S MASTER. WE HAVE PRESSED THE
RESTRICTED
/AGENTS