XN000022-1989-05-18 — Page 5

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1989

JETFOIL ACCIDENT REPORT RELEASED

THE GROUNDING THE SUMMARY OF A PRELIMINARY INQUIRY REPORT ON

"FUNCHAL" IN MACAU WATERS LAST OF THE HONG KONG REGISTERED JETFOIL OCTOBER WAS RELEASED TODAY (THURSDAY).

WERE REPORTED

INJURED IN

THE

ACCIDENT HONG KONG

MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE WHICH OCCURRED IN THE EVENING OF OCTOBER 16 SOON AFTER THE BOUND JETFOIL LEFT THE MACAU PIER.

OF MARINE

A

PRELIMINARY

ORDERED SUBSEQUENTLY THE DIRECTOR

A DETAILED INQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING THE ACCIDENT AND

HAD WHO

ACCEPTED THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR, RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CONVENING OF MARINE COURT WAS UNNECESSARY.

MR ALLAN PYRKE, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARINE (SHIPPING),

THERE WAS THAT

EVIDENCE NO SAID AT

PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY'S WHATSOEVER OF ANY HUMAN ERROR CAUSING OR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT.

WERE CARRIED OUT DURING COMPREHENSIVE TESTS AND INSPECTIONS

THAT THE THE INVESTIGATION AND SHOWED THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION OR CREW NEGLIGENCE.

CAUSE

THE OF

ACCIDENT

"THE MOST PROBABLE CALLED 'STRUT VENTILATION' OR 'FOILBORNE SKID'.

IS A

PHENOMENON

THE

MOST COMMON OF SHEETINGS BEING

"THIS CAN HAPPEN THROUGH SEVERAL CAUSES, WHICH IS RUBBISH, SUCH AS DISCARDED ROPES OR PLASTIC

MR PYRKE SAID. CAUGHT ON THE FORWARD STRUT,

"

MR

PYRKE SAID THE BEEN ACCEPTED BY

TO AVOID SIMILAR ACCIDENTS IN THE FUTURE, REPORT HAD MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH HAD THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE.

THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED:

*

A

FOILBORNE SKID ALARM SHOULD OR STRUT VENTILATION INSTALLED ON JETFOILS, IF POSSIBLE;

BE

AREAS OF

THE

то ALL PASSENGER

AND SEATS SEAT BELTS SHOULD BE FITTED

SHOULD BE WORN. ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE TO RECOMMEND THAT THEY

WEAR SEAT BELTS IN THE ALSO, A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT TO

BE HARBOURS SHOULD

CAREFULLY HIGHER RISK

CONSIDERED;

*

SEATS, FITTED WITH CHANNEL AND HONG KONG ACCIDENT, AND BE IN A

THE CABIN CREW SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH SAFETY BELTS, FOR USE IN THE MACAU HARBOUR TO ENSURE THAT, IN THE EVENT OF A SIMILAR THEY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF AVOIDING INJURY POSITION TO RENDER ASSISTANCE TO THE PASSENGERS;

1"

AS