Hong Kong boat crashes into ferry during China’s National Day festivities (2012/10/02)
香港撞船
昨天是中國十一國慶，但香港卻發生了史上最嚴重的船難。一艘載有100多人、準備要觀賞維多利亞港煙火的遊艇，與一艘港九小渡輪相撞，遊艇船身被撞破一個大洞、迅速沈沒，船上乘客幾乎全部落水，香港消防署和附近船隻緊急出動救人，但還是造成至少37人死亡，上百人輕重傷，超過二十人下落不明，當局下令通宵搜尋。
昨晚是中國十一國慶，由香港電燈公司承包的南ㄚ四號遊艇，晚間載著一百多名員工還有家屬，準備從榕樹灣到中環看煙火，沒想到開船才5分鐘，就和一艘載有數十人的港九小渡輪撞上。
由於南ㄚ四號船齡老舊，猛烈撞擊讓左側船身立刻破了一個大洞，船隻從尾部迅速沈沒，一分鐘後，船身已經筆直入海，只剩下船頭，船上乘客幾乎都全部落海。
[[獲救民眾]]
“我溺水 水都蓋過我的頭，很驚險，我喝了好多水，很奮力才游上來”
港府消防署十八分鐘內趕到救人，附近船隻也加入搶救行列，香港特區行政長官梁振英也指示當局通宵搜救，廣東省也應港府請求、出動打撈船協助援救。
[[香港特首 梁振英]]
“我希望向所有傷者及其家人致以慰問，但現在最重要的工作 是做好海上救援工作，搜救下落不明的人”
香港電燈公司方面表示，船隻並沒有超載及超速，救生設備也很足夠。而香港警方則是先扣留小渡輪作為證據，展開深入調查。
China's National Day was tinged with tragedy as Hong Kong suffered its worst boating disaster in recent history. A pleasure boat carrying more than 100 people crashed into a ferry and sank. At least 37 people were killed as authorities continue to search for bodies.
Last night was China's National Day celebration. The Hong Kong Electric Company’s Lamma IV vessel was packed with more than a hundred employees and family members who departed Yung Shue Wan and were to travel to Central to watch fireworks. However, five minutes after departure, the vessel hit a ferry operated by the Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry carrying dozens of people.
The Lamma IV suffered a big hole in the left side of the hull and sank within less than one minute. Its stern stuck straight out of the water, with nearly all of its passengers thrown into the sea.
“I was drowning with water over my head. It was very scary. I swallowed a lot of water and it was a struggle to stay afloat.”
Hong Kong’s emergency services arrived on the scene within 18 minutes and began rescuing people. Nearby vessels also joined in the rescue operation. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying instructed authorities to continue the search overnight as well as requesting assistance from Guangdong Province which dispatched a salvage ship.
Leung Chun-ying
Hong Kong Chief Executive
I would like to extend my condolences to all of the victims and their families. At the moment, our most important work is the search and rescue effort for those who are still unaccounted for.
Hong Kong Electric says the boat did not take on too many passengers and was not traveling at excessive speeds. It also added that the boat was equipped with the necessary safety equipment. At the moment, Hong Kong police have detained the ferry involved in the accident as part of the ongoing investigation.
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