XN000022-1996-09-27 — Page 20

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Joint maritime exercise to test search and rescue strength

An annual maritime search and rescue exercise will be held in the Pearl River estuary on October 3 (Thursday) to test the search and rescue resources of Guangdong, Macau and Hong Kong for dealing with an accident at sea.

This year's exercise, codenamed "Maritime SAREX96", is jointly organised by the Guangdong Provincial Marine Emergency Search and Rescue Centre, Macau Marine Department and Hong Kong Marine Department.

"With more people travelling between Hong Kong and the Pearl River by sea, it is necessary to conduct regular exercises in this busy waters to check the alerting, communications and responses of the search and rescue resources in Zhuhai, Macau and Hong Kong," said a spokesman for the Hong Kong Marine Department today (Friday).

Against the background that search and rescue exercises at a regional level can enhance better co-operation between neighbouring authorities, the search and rescue resources in the three places will be deployed in Maritime SAREX96 to deal with a scenario in which a high-speed ferry sailing from Hong Kong to Macau collides with another vessel, leaving many passengers injured.

Rescue craft, helicopter and launches from Zhuhai, Macau and Hong Kong are to be tasked for the search and rescue exercise.

End

Royal Navy warship to visit Hong Kong

For the first time in over a year, a major warship of the Royal Navy is to visit Hong Kong. HMS Exeter, a Type-42 Guided Missile Destroyer, will enter Hong Kong for a routine visit tomorrow (Saturday),

She will depart next Thursday (October 3) for a goodwill visit to the Chinese port of Qing Dao. The last Royal Navy warship to visit China was HMS York to Shanghai in 1985.

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