XN000022-1996-08-21 — Page 4

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Formal inquiry into ferry collision ordered

The Director of Marine, Mr Ian Dale, today (Wednesday) ordered a preliminary inquiry into the collision between a passenger catamaran and a Chinese vessel off Fan Lau Kok, Lantau, last Sunday (August 18).

The order was made under section 51(1) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance after Mr Dale studied the investigation report submitted to him by a Marine Department surveyor, a department spokesman said.

Surveyor of Ships (Nautical), Mr Kenneth Yeomans, was appointed to inquire into the circumstances attending the collision between Hong Kong registered passenger catamaran "HKF II" and Chinese vessel "455" at around 5.13 pm about one and a half nautical miles off Fan Lau Kok, Lantau, the spokesman said.

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Record high ozone pollution level

Ozone pollution recorded by the Environmental Protection Department yesterday (Tuesday) reached record high level of 320 microgrammes per cubic metre.

"The high level, which was caused by chemical reaction of air pollutants in the atmosphere and under sunlight, only lasted for a short period of time.

"As the wind picked up, air pollution returned to moderate level," the acting Assistant Director of Environmental Protection, Mr Raymond Leung, said today (Wednesday).

"Because of the dramatic change in today's weather, which brings down the ozone level and improves the overall air quality, air pollution indices (API) for the territory today have been reduced to 64 for the urban area, 61 for the industrial area and 63 for new development area.

"The calculation of API usually includes air quality measurements made after 4 pm the day before. But today's API has not taken the high ozone level into account because of the significant improvement in air quality."