Wreckage of boat involved in deadly ferry collision recovered
(2 Oct 2012) SHOTLIST 1. Various of tug boat with crane pulling boat Lamma IV out of sea, half-submerged in sea with its bow pointing straight up 2. Mid of marine police boat 3. Various of Lamma IV being pulled out of water 4. Mid of marine police boat 5. Wide of Lamma IV being pulled out of water 6. Close-up of sign on marine police boat reading: (Chinese/English) "Police" 7. Mid of docked marine police boat 8. Mid of covered body being carried off marine police boat 9. Mid of police on harbour side STORYLINE A boat packed with revellers on a long holiday weekend collided with a ferry and sank off Hong Kong, killing at least 36 people and injuring dozens, authorities said. The boat was carrying utility company workers and their families to famed Victoria Harbour to watch a fireworks display in celebration of China's National Day and mid-autumn festival. The two vessels collided on Monday night near Lamma Island off the southwestern coast of Hong Kong Island. The ferry, which did not capsize, was carrying dozens of passengers on a regularly scheduled service, according to local media. The government said 36 bodies had been recovered as of Tuesday morning and the search was continuing. More than 100 people were rescued and sent to hospitals, and nine had serious or critical injuries, the government's statement said. Such large-scale accidents are rare for Hong Kong, a semiautonomous enclave off mainland China that has one of Asia's most advanced infrastructures and economies with first-rate public services. After daybreak, the boat was half submerged with its bow pointing almost straight up. The government statement said low visibility and obstacles on the boat were making rescue efforts difficult. It said the possibility people were still in the vessel or missing could not be ruled out, though it did not give numbers. Lamma is the third-biggest island in Hong Kong and near one of the coastal Chinese city's busiest shipping lanes. The island is home to about 6,000 people, including many of the former British colony's expatriate workers. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
