HONG KONG (Reuters) – At least 36 people died and dozens were injured when a ferry carrying more than 120 people on a company outing collided with another ferry and sank near an island south of Hong Kong last night in one of the city’s worst maritime accidents.
The ferry belonging to the Hong Kong Electric Company was taking staff and family members to watch a fireworks display to celebrate China’s National Day and mid-autumn festival when it hit the other ship and quickly began sinking near Lamma island.
Survivors said they had little time to put on life jackets before the ferry flooded, trapping passengers.
“Within 10 minutes, the ship had sunk. We had to wait at least 20 minutes before we were rescued,” said one male survivor, wrapped in a blanket on the shore.
Some survivors said people had to break windows to swim to the surface. “We thought we were going to die. Everyone was trapped inside,” said another middle-aged woman.
The other ship, owned by Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Holdings, made it safely to the pier on Lamma, an island popular with tourists and expatriates. It had a damaged bow and several of its passengers and crew were taken to hospital with injuries.
The tragedy was the worst to hit Hong Kong since 1996 when more than 40 people died in a fire in a commercial building.
Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest shipping channels, although serious marine accidents are rare. It is unclear why the two ferries collided.
“Our ferry left Lamma island at 8.15 pm to watch the fireworks display out at sea, but within a few minutes, a tugboat (ferry) smashed into our vessel,” Yuen Sui-see, a director for Hong Kong Electric.
