XN000022-1995-07-17 — Page 4

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Report on escape of VMs to be submitted in one week

The initial report of the inquiry ordered by the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Raymond Lai Ming-kee, into the escape of 90 Vietnamese migrants from the High Island Detention Centre yesterday (Sunday), is expected to be submitted to the Security Branch in one week.

The inquiry, chaired by an Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Services, will cover all aspects of the incident including physical security, the adequacy of the operational system in place, and whether or not there was any negligence by staff.

A CSD spokesman said immediate repairs were carried out to seal the holes to the perimeter fences at the North Section of the camp from where the Vietnamese migrants escaped.

"We are currently studying ways in which we can further enhance security from within our own resources," he said.

At about 4 am yesterday (Sunday), a group of Vietnamese migrants was spotted escaping through a hole in the perimeter fence. CSD officers called for reinforcements and gave chase but the escapees had already disappeared into the hills under the cover of darkness.

The Police were then alerted and a major search involving the CSD, the Police, the Marine police and the Government Flying Services to track down the escapees was conducted.

So far, a total of 61 Vietnamese migrants, 59 men and two women, have been accounted for, and those still at large include 28 men and one woman. One of the Vietnamese migrants, a 17-year-old youth apparently drowned yesterday afternoon in a stream at Pak Tam Chung.

The spokesman pointed out that it took the best part of yesterday to conduct a head count to determine how many migrants had escaped and a second count was carried out to determine who as well as to confirm the exact numbers.

High Island Detention Centre, which holds 4,448 Vietnamese migrants, is divided into two sections the North Section holds 2.123 people and the South Sections (1 and 2) hold a total of 2,325.

End/Monday, July 17, 1995