WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1993
1
MEASURES TAKEN TO PREVENT SHARK ATTACKS
SHARK BEACHES,
THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS TAKING STEPS TO LAY PREVENTION NETS ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS AT SELECTED POPULAR THE SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR JAMES SO, SAID.
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN BY A NUMBER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM, HE ADDED.
OF
IN
AN
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHIM PUI-CHUNG THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR SO SAID
SECRETARY FOR WORKING GROUP, CHAIRED BY A DEPUTY INTER-DEPARTMENTAL RECREATION AND CULTURE, MET ON JUNE 18 TO
VARIOUS
MEASURES.
THE GROUP
CO-ORDINATE
DEPARTMENT,
AND
THE
URBAN THE CITY
COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AGRICULTURE FISHERIES
THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT AND AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.
UNDERTAKEN BY THE WOULD DEPARTMENTS GOVERNMENT
IT HAS DECIDED THAT THE MEASURES CURRENTLY MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND THE VARIOUS CONTINUE.
THESE
INCLUDE
AND RED THROUGH
THE HOISTING OF SHARK WARNING SIGNALS FLAGS ON AFFECTED AND NEARBY BEACHES, GIVING VERBAL WARNINGS THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM EVERY 15 MINUTES TO WARN SWIMMERS AGAINST
WATERS ON NEARBY
AND ENTERING THE WATER, AND KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH
AREA IN THE VICINITY OF THE SWIMMING RESCUE CRAFT BY LIFEGUARDS.
CONSTANT
PATROL
IN MOTORISED
OTHER PRECAUTIONS TO BE ADOPTED INCLUDE:
*
THE
DEPLOY MORE LIFEGUARDS IN AFFECTED AREAS AND IN SOME OF MORE POPULAR BEACHES, AND STEP UP SURVEILLANCE BY THE USE OF ADDITIONAL MOTORISED BOATS;
AND
OPEN SOME PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS EARLIER TO CATER FOR MORNING SWIMMERS:
EARLY-
*
WIDELY DISTRIBUTE PAMPHLETS AND POSTERS ON MEASURES TO AVOID SHARK ATTACKS.
MR SO ALSO TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THREE CASES OF SUSPECTED SHARK ATTACKS OCCURRED IN HONG KONG WATERS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
IN THE FIRST
CASE, A 65-YEAR-OLD WOMAN SWIMMING ABOUT 500 METRES OFF SILVERSTRAND 6.35 AM ON JUNE 8, 1991.
KILLED WAS
SAI BEACH,
KUNG,
WHILE ABOUT
THE
CASE INVOLVED A 42-YEAR-OLD MAN SECOND WOUNDED WHILE SWIMMING ABOUT 150 METRES OFF SHEUNG SZ WAN, SAI ABOUT 8 AM ON JUNE 1 THIS YEAR.
WHO
WAS FATALLY KUNG,
IN THE THIRD CASE, A 61-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS FATALLY ATTACKED BY A
BEACH, SHARK WHILE SWIMMING ABOUT THREE METRES OFF SILVERSTRAND KUNG, ABOUT 7.30 AM ON JUNE 11 THIS YEAR,
SAI
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