TNAG-0932-FCO40-1151-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1980 — Page 116

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RECEIVED $1

BESK INDEX

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3 MAR 3M

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GR 145

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG 290858Z FEB

DESKBY ALL 290915Z FEB

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 310 OF 29 FEBRUARY, 1980

了

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING

AND MODUK.

MY TELNO 53 TO PEKING: INCIDENT IN DEEP BAY.

1. GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES (GIS) ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT THIS MORNING (LOCAL TIME):

''A ROYAL NAVY HOVERCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A

A CHINESE VESSEL IN DEEP BAY EARLIER THIS MORNING. INVESTIGATIONS BY BOTH SIDES ARE NOW IN PROGRESS. THE ROYAL NAVY HOVERCRAFT WAS DAMAGED AND IT'S ENGINE HAS BROKEN DOWN. IT IS NOW ANCHORED NEAR

THE SCENE’’.

2. GIS WILL ISSUE A FURTHER STATEMENT AT 17.30 (LOCAL): ''THE

ROYAL NAVY HOVERCRAFT IS STILL IN THE AREA IN WHICH THE COLLISION TOOK PLACE, AS IS THE CHINESE VESSEL WHICH WAS ALSO INVOLVED. DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ARE CONTINUING IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE COLLISION TOOK PLACE.''

3. GIS WILL NOT COMMENT FURTHER UNTIL THE INCIDENT IS CONCLUDED.

MACLEHOSE

FILES HK v GD FED DEF. D PUSD

NEWS.D

OID

PS

PS|LPS PS/MR BLAKER.

PS/MA RIDLEY PS/MR HURD PS/PUS

SIRD MAITLAND SIR. A. ACLAND MR CORTAZZ. MR MURRAY MR P. H. MOBERLY

COPIES TO '

HONG KONG GOV Office