XN000022-1988-09-08 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1988

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION CONTINUING

THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TEAM HEADED BY THE DEPUTY CHIEF INSPECTOR OF ACCIDENTS, MR PETER BIRKETT, IS CONTINUING ITS INVESTIGATION INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO THE ACCIDENT INVOLVING A TRIDENT AIRCRAFT AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LAST WEDNESDAY.

AND

THE TEAM COMPRISES INSPECTORS OF ACCIDENT, MR PHILIP GILES MR PETER CLAIDEN FROM THE AIR ACCIDENTS INVESTIGATION BRANCH OF THE UNITED KINGDOM DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT; AND MR JAMES HUI, MR JEFFREY TO, MR EDDIE CHU, AND MR NORMAN LO FROM THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT, AND ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVE, MR TANG ZHAOXUN (DIRECTOR OF FLIGHT SAFETY AND INSPECTION DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OF CHINA), AND ADVISER, MR LU GUANGHUA (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OF THE CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OF CHINA).

COMPREHENSIVE

A SPOKESMAN SAID THE DETAILED AND

INVESTIGATION BEING CONDUCTED WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO COMPLETE. NO PIBCEMBAL RELEASE OF FINDINGS WILL BE MADE AS THIS WOULD ONLY CAUSE SPECULATION ON THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WHICH WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPARTIALITY AND OBJECTIVITY OF THE INVESTIGATION.

TIGER CUBS MAKE CONSERVATION HISTORY

TWO TIGER CUBS AND TWO BEAR CUBS WERE AMONG 29 ANIMALS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES FLOWN TO ENDANGERED ANIMAL SANCTUARIES IN CHINA TUIS (THURSDAY) MORNING.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN LOCAL CONSERVATION HISTORY THAT TIGERS WERE LANDED IN HONG KONG AND SENT FROM HERE TO A CITES-MEMBER COUNTRY.

THE YOUNG TIGERS ARE BELIEVED TO BE OF INDOCHINA ORIGIN WHILE THE TWO BEAR CUBS ARE MALAY SUN BEAR AND ASIATIC BLACK BEAR SPECIES.

THEY WERE CONFISCATED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN JULY AS A RESULT OF A COURT CASE IN WHICH A TAIWANESE SEAMAN WAS CHARGED WITH CRUELTY TO THE ANIMALS ON BOARD A FREIGHTER THAT STOPPED IN HONG KONG EN ROUTE TO TAIWAN FROM THAILAND.

IN THE SAME CONSIGNMENT SENT TO THE ENDANGERED ANIMALS BREEDING CENTRE IN PRKING WERE FIVE RHESUS MONKEYS, ONE LONG-TAILED MACAQUE AND ONE SLOW LORIS.

/ALSO LEAVING