TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 281

ANDREW WEIR & COMPANY LTD.

REGISTERED OFFICE:

21 BURY STREET LONDON EC3A 5AU

TELEPHONE: 01-283 1266

TELEX NO: 887392

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: WEIRCO LONDON ECS

REGISTERED NUMBER: 39824

OUR REF:

YOUR REF:

GENERAL

CM

HKLIPS.243

15370

fo mestray

ARED

FED

UND MACD

APA, Hong Kong. thanney Pelaing

my Brown SPD DET

Foreign & Commonwealth Office,

South-East Asia Department,

King Charles Street,

Whitehall,

LONDON, S.W.1.

Dear Sirs,

1

Euta

'8th August, 1979.

Mai

Simons to are

For attention of Mr. C. Stitt

m.v.

"RUDDBANK"

Subs

9.8

We write to confirm the events which have taken place on board our m.v. "RUDDBANK", which vessel rescued a total of 124 Vietnamese refugees in position 04.3 N, 109.4 E on the 4th instant at 0921 hours local time.

The refugees were found in serious distress and in extremely poor condition, without further supplies of food or water. The Master, Captain C.B. Davies, had no alternative but to rescue them on the high seas and take them on board m.v. "RUDDBANK". Unfortunately, one child was found to be dead at the time of embarkation and a second child died shortly after the vessel was under way.

"

The vessel is currently operating on Time Charter to the China National Foreign Trade and Transportation Corporation, and was en-route from Bilbao to Shanghai with a bunker call at Djeddah. The cargo was of a general nature, but consists mainly of steel.

After the rescue had been effected, the Master cabled Owners giving the details, and these were passed on to Mr. P. Morgan of your Hong Kong Department on the 4th instant.

The Master was instructed by ourselves to continue the voyage to Shanghai, but unfortunately two of the refugees became seriously ill and the Master was forced to divert towards Hong Kong, the nearest port, for medical assistance. Instructions were received from the Port Authorities at Hong Kong to anchor off Potoi Island, outside Hong Kong Territorial Waters, and this was accomplished at 0744 hours on the 7th instant, where Immigration Officials, a Doctor and two Nurses boarded.

As a consequence, the two sick refugees were flown by helicopter to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, at Hong Kong for emergency treatment. These actions were all arranged by our own Agents, Messrs. Dodwell & Co. We also requested them to arrange for additional food to be placed on board

CHAIRMAN & GOVERNING DIRECTOR: THE LORD INVERFORTH

DIRECTORS: HON. VINCENT WEIR, R. FAWCETT, M.B.E., T.Ď., B.A., F.C.A.