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UAY, MARCH 14, 1985

SHE HAS RENDERED A GREAT CONTRIBUTION TO ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT OPERATIONS AND PROVIDED CONVEYANCE SERVICE AND ASSISTAN CE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE ISLANDS IN TIME OF EMERGENCY. SHE ALSO ASSISTED THE COMMAND LAUNCH NO. 1 IN A RESCUE OPERATION FOR AN A1 RCRAFT CRASH WHICH OCCURRED IN THE PORT SHELTER LAST SUMMER.

PL 33 WAS BUILT IN 1956, ORIGINALLY FOR THE THEN CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT PREVENTIVE SERVICE. SHE PATROLLED HONG KONG WATERS IN PREVENTIVE SERVICE COLOURS FOR THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF HER LIFE UNTIL IN 1962 CAME OPERATION HAZLEMERE". THIS WAS THE HUGE INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA, WHICH BECAME KNOWN AS THE 'EXODUS'.

ALONG WITH HER SISTER VESSELS IN THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE WHICH BECAME PLS 32 AND 34 -- SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE MARINE POLICE, WHERE SHE WAS TO STAY FOR THE REMAINING 23 YEARS OF HER LIFE.

FOR MUCH OF THE 60'S AND THE FIRST PART OF THE 70'S SHE WAS A RELIEF LAUNCH, CALLED INTO SERVICE WHEN OTHER VESSELS WENT INTO DOCK. SHE THEREFORE BECAME SOMETHING OF A TRAMP, MOVING FROM SECTOR TO SECTOR AS REQUIRED.

WHEN THE DUTY SYSTEM CHANGED IN THE MID 1970'S ''SEA RESCUER'' WAS ONE OF THE VESSELS MANNED ON THE SO-CALLED GANG OF FOUR SYSTEM OF ONE INSPECTOR AND FOUR MEN AND DURING THIS PERIOD, MOSTLY SPENT IN NORTH SECTOR, SHE BECAME KNOWN AS A VERY SMART VESSEL.

IN RECENT YEARS WITH INADEQUATE FUNDS SPENT ON HER MAINTENANCE, THIS OLD LADY HAS BEGUN TO SHOW HER AGE. HER SERVICE IN MARINE WAS FINALLY TERMINATED WITH THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NEW PL71, KING YEE, WHICH HAS TAKEN OVER THE SEA RESCUER'S DUTIES.

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INSPECTOR LEUNG SHEUNG-TAI, COMMANDER OF PL 71, POINTED OUT THAT MORE STAFF WERE REQUIRED FOR THE NEW LAUNCH IN ADDITION TO THE OLD CREW FROM THE SEA RESCUER' IN VEIW OF ITS IMPROVED FACILITIES AND CAPABILITY.

**OUR SPEED HAS INCREASED TO 26 KNOTS COMPARED WITH THE

9 KNOTS OF PL 33. THE NEW LAUNCH IS AIR CONDITIONED AND INSTALLED WITH ALL SORTS OF MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED FACILITIES WHICH ARE SURE TO HELP IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR SERVICE.

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**TO ENSURE ALL OLD AND NEW STAFF ARE WELL PREPARED FOR THEIR JOBS ON THE NEW LAUNCH, THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN ON BOARD TRAINING PERIOD OF ONE AND A HALF MONTHS BY THE TRAINING UNIT LED BY MR PETER WYATT, STAFF OFFICER, NAVIGATION AND SEAMANSHIP, MARINE,'' HE ADDED.

ALTHOUGH THE OLD SEA RESCUER'S CREW ARE PLEASED WITH ALL THE NEW AND IMPROVED CONDITION ON THE KING YEE WHICH THEY REGARD AS A SYMBOL OF MODERNISATION, SOME OF THEM ADMIT THEY DO MISS

CER DAYS ABOARD THE OLD LADY''.

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