"ནུ་
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Reference...
(1294
Mr Stitt, SEAD
RESCUE OF REFUGEES AT SEA
1.
Mr Lilley, the General Manager of Denholm Shipping in Glasgow (the company which owned the Wellpark which you will recall picked up 350 refugees who were subsequently evacuated to the UK in October last year) telephoned me this morning to ask what the Government's policy was for dealing with refugees rescued by UK registered vessels. He said his company were faced with requests for advice from masters of vessels. I told him the Government would deal with rescue operations on a case-by-case basis and that any such operations should be reported immediately to the UNHCR and to the FCO.
2.
He said he understood the Government's position but that his company could certainly not bear a "Bank Line episode" Bank Line were a wealthy company. His was not, and being faced with refugees on board one of their ships for a prolonged period would have a very serious effect on the company's viability. In answer to my question, he said they operated 70 ships of which about 40 plied the South China Sea.
3.
Mr Lilley said he would probably advise masters not to pick up refugees at sea if the refugees appeared to be in a reasonably healthy state. Only in distress would he advise them to pick up survivors. He asked what I thought of that. I said that British captains knew the law and would need themselves to decide what to do in such circumstances.
5 July 1979
Ccs: MAED
HK&GD
HKK243!
m Jr.)
P Morgan
United Nations Department K149 233 8631
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