XN000022-1993-07-12 — Page 6

INQUIRY ORDERED INTO SEA ACCIDENT

MONDAY, JULY 12, 1993

THE ACTING DIRECTOR

OF MARINE, MR IAN DALE, THIS (MONDAY) MORNING ORDERED A PRELIMINARY INQUIRY INTO AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE HONG KONG-REGISTERED JETFOIL "URZELA' IN MACAU WATERS LAST (SUNDAY) NIGHT.

FORTY-ONE PERSONS ON BOARD THE JETFOIL WERE REPORTED AS BEING

INJURED.

THE INQUIRY WAS ORDERED UNDER THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ORDINANCE AFTER MR DALE HAD CONSIDERED AN INITIAL REPORT ON THE INCIDENT.

THE PURPOSE OF THE INQUIRY IS TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSES OF THE

ACCIDENT.

NAUTICAL SURVEYOR, CAPTAIN CHEUNG TAI-KEE, HAS BEEN TO CONDUCT THE INQUIRY.

SHORTLY AFTER 8 PM YESTERDAY (SUNDAY), THE HONG "URZELA" REPORTEDLY HIT A SEMI-SUBMERGED PIPELINE NEAR HARBOUR APPROACH CHANNEL.

ACCORDING ΤΟ

THE JETFOIL COMPANY, 15 OF THE 264 BOARD WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL IN MACAU.

APPOINTED

KONG-BOUND THE MACAU

PERSONS ON

ANOTHER 180 PERSONS WERE CONVEYED BACK TO HONG KONG BY ANOTHER JETFOIL. ON ARRIVING HONG KONG, 22 WERE SENT TO QUEEN MARY AND TANG SHIV KIN HOSPITALS AND FOUR OTHERS WENT TO QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL ON THEIR OWN.

GUESTHOUSES COME UNDER LICENSING CONTROL IN SEPTEMBER

* *

ALL TOURIST GUESTHOUSES WILL BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO OPERATE UNDER LICENCE AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR, THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS (BUILDING MANAGEMENT), MR FRANCIS LO, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

HE REMINDED THE OPERATORS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT WORKS COMPLETED BY THE END OF AUGUST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LICENSING CONDITIONS AS THE EXEMPTION PERIOD WOULD EXPIRE BY THEN.

WHILE MANY GUESTHOUSES HAVE ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, SOME OPERATORS APPEAR TO BE ADOPTING A "WAIT-AND-SEE" ATTITUDE, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION LICENSING CONTROL FROM SEPTEMBER 1 WAS A VERY FIRM ONE.

то ENFORCE

/"TIME IS