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SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 1988
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MARINE DEPARTMENT'S ACTING SENIOR MARINE OFFICER (EAST REGION) MR T.M. KWOK, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THAT SOME OF THESE ACCIDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED HAD PEOPLE BEEN MORE CAREFUL AND OBSERVED ALL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT OWNERS AND MASTERS OF SMALL BOATS SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THEIR BOATS, BOTH IN TERMS OF CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY.
"THESE SMALL BOATS, LIKE ANY OTHER VESSELS LICENSED, SHOULD NOT CARRY MORE PERSONS THAN PERMITTED, SAID MR KWOK.
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"AND THOSE ON BOARD SHOULD WEAR LIFE JACKETS AT ALL TIMES.
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MR KWOK NOTED THAT ALL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR A VESSEL, SUCH AS THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PERMITTED ON BOARD AND APPLIANCES, AND SO ON, WERE CLEARLY STATED IN LTS LICENCE.
LIFE-SAVING
"THESE REQUIREMENTS MUST BE OBSERVED," HE STRESSED.
MR KWOK ALSO URGED OWNERS AND MASTERS TO ALWAYS BEAR IN
THE LIMITATIONS IN CAPABILITY OF SMALL. BOATS.
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"PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE OVER-CONFIDENT AND TAKE THESE BOATS FAR FROM COAST OR TOO CLOSE TO SHIPPING LANES AS ANY WAVES OR WASH CREATED BY A PASSING VESSEL COULD MEAN HUGE WAVES' ΤΟ THESE SMALL ROATS AND MAY CAUSE A CAPSIZE, HE SAID.
LIKEWISE, BECAUSE THESE BOATS ARE SO SMALL IN SIZE, ANY SUDDEN MOVEMENTS OR SHIFTING OF WEIGHT ON BOARD WOULD CAUSE A HEAVY LIST OF THE BOATS,
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"SO IF YOU HAVE TO MOVE, DO IT VERY CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE OTHERS ON BOARD KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, MR KWOK SAID, ADDING THAT GOOD SEAMANSHIP WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE MANOEUVRING OF SMALL BOATS.
"NEVER GO OUT IN BAD WEATHER. ALWAYS REMEMBER: PLAY SAFE AND PRESERVE LIFE, HE ADVISED,
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MR KWOK ALSO REMINDED OWNERS AND MASTERS LIKE ALL VESSELS, HAVE ΤΟ BE LICENSED UNDER SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL ORDINANCE, CAP. 313.
THAT SMALL. BOATS. SECTION 26 OF THE
ORDINANCE WOULD
"ANYONE CONTRAVENING THE PROVISION OF THE DIABLE TO PROSECUTION AND SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $20,000 AND IMPRISONMENT OF 12 MONTHS,
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WARNED MR KWOK.
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