CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 807
OF 16105OZ MARCH 92
FOR REFPLS SEE (14
CONFIDENTIAL
Pa M1613
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
15
174261
MDHIAN 6901
HKA 177/1
TOP COPY Q DIST?
CHINESE INCURSION, 15 MARCH.
1. A SERIOUS CHINESE INCURSION OCCURRED IN TOLO HARBOUR ON 15 MARCH. AT 1315 HOURS POLICE LAUNCH NO.2, WHICH WAS CLOSE TO PLOVER COVE RESEVOIR, SIGHTED A TAI FEI APPROACHING AT ABOUT 45 KNOTS. A FEW SECONDS LATER A PURSUING VESSEL WAS SEEN BEHIND IT TRAVELLING AT A SIMILAR SPEED. BOTH VESSELS PASSED HALF A MILE SOUTH OF THE POLICE LAUNCH AND HEADED TOWARDS TAI PO. CLOSE TO THE SHORE THEY THEN TURNED SOUTH TOWARDS SHA TIN AND THE SOUND OF SHOTS WAS HEARD.
2. HAVING COME CLOSE TO SHA TIN, BOTH VESSELS TURNED BACK TOWARDS POLICE LAUNCH 2. THE TAI FEI WAS LOADED AND COVERED WITH GREEN CANVAS. IT MEASURED ABOUT 45 FEET. IT WAS FITTED WITH 4 OUTBOARD ENGINES. 2 PERSONS WERE SEEN ON BOARD. THE PURSUING VESSEL WAS A GREY COLOURED SPEEDBOAT OF ABOUT 24 FEET. IT WAS FITTED WITH 2 BLACK OUTBOARD ENGINES. 8 PERSONS WERE SEEN ON BOARD WEARING DARK GREEN UNIFORMS WITHOUT HATS. BOTH VESSELS CAME TO WITHIN 50 METRES OF POLICE LAUNCH 2 BEFORE TURNING AGAIN AND HEADING A SECOND TIME TOWARDS TAI PO.
3. FROM THAT TIME ON, POLICE LAUNCH 2 TOOK VIDEO FILM OF THE INCIDENT. THIS INCLUDES FILM OF THE PURSUING VESSEL PASSING VERY CLOSE TO THE POLICE LAUNCH (BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE UNIFORMS ARE NOT VISIBLE). AFTER THE TAI FEI AND ITS PURSUER HAD CIRCLED A CHAU ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF TOLO HARBOUR, THEY BOTH HEADED EASTWARDS. WHEN OPPOSITE HENG ON HOUSING ESTATE AT THE FOOT OF MA ON SHAN, 5 SHOTS WERE FIRED (THESE ARE AUDIBLE ON THE VIDEO SOUNDTRACK). A FEW SECONDS LATER, A FURTHER 4 SHOTS WERE FIRED (ALSO AUDIBLE). AS THE VESSELS PASS TO THE EAST, THE HENG ON HOUSING ESTATE AND WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE CAN BOTH BE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND ON THE VIDEO. THE 2 VESSELS ESCAPED OUT OF TOLO HARBOUR AND MADE THEIR WAY BACK INTO CHINESE WATERS.
4 THIS INCIDENT WAS SEEN BY MANY WHO WERE OUT ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WE GAVE DETAILS AT 1700 HOURS TO THE CHINESE THROUGH
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CONFIDENTIAL
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