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settle there. The government has consistently followed the principle of
international law that people rescued at sea by ocean-going vessels should
be put ashore at the first port of call. In response to recent developments,
however, it has had to take more active steps to discourage ships from
entering the harbour with refugees aboard when Hong Kong is not the first
port of call or when the vessels concerned seem to be involved in an
organised traffic in refugees.
The Press (eg the Daily Telegraph of 10 February and Observer of
11 February) have carried reports that Vietnamese passengers have boarded
ocean-going ships, by prior arrangement for large payments with the
connivance of the Vietnamese régime. The Hong Kong authorities have been given
additional legal powers to act against owners, masters and ships if offences
are committed.
A charge has been made against the master of the Huey Fong under Murchant
mother the carful & rinse of the marine shipping ordinance for bringing extra passengers to Hong Kong.
When the ship was 1,000 miles from Hong Kong on 18 December 1978, the
master claimed by radio to the Hong Kong Marine Department that he had
rescued a large number of refugees at sea off Vietnam. He was offered
urgent supplies and medical attention, as if needed, but told he should
proceed to the nearest port and not go to Hong Kong. Disregarding these
instructions, he anchored just outside Hong Kong waters on 25 December
and sailed into them on 19 January 1979, though he had been repeatedly told
he should proceed to his first scheduled port of call, Kashsiung in Taiwan.
Police enquiries have since sought to establish whether there was
any substance in his claim that he had rescued refugees during a close
encounter at sea while his engine had broken down. When passengers
disembarked, three families were found to be carrying about 1.5 million
Hong Kong dollars in thin gold leaf. During the search of the engine room
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