HORTA

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Rubber tyre thought to have caused accident with 124 injured

A one metre-diameter rubber tyre was retrieved near the site of the crash of the "Horta", prompting investigators to look into whether it caused the accident which left 124 passengers in hospital. The tyre was believed to be a vessel fender which fell into the sea. It was sighted floating by a Government Flying Service helicopter off Siu A Chau in the Soko Islands during a search on Oct 26 shortly after 10 a.m. A marine police launch was then deployed to pick up the tyre before it was handed over to the Marine Department to investigate if it was linked to the crash. A total of 124 people were injured in the incident. Eight of them, who sustained serious injuries, were airlifted by Government Flying Service helicopters to hospital. Two marine police launches were deployed to take more than 110 people to the Central pier before being taken to hospital. The injured, aged between six and 83, were sent to seven hospitals, with 87 discharged as of this morning. In addition to the five patients in critical condition, five were categorised as serious and 27 stable. The ferry was towed to a Stonecutters Island shipyard where officers from the Marine Department went on board to carry out an investigation. The ferry was damaged in the rear wing and engine room and water seeped in. The hull under both engines was damaged. The vessel, which was carrying six life rafts and 246 life jackets, had its annual inspection in March. The "Horta" was carrying 163 passengers and 11 crew members on the way from Macau to Hong Kong when one of the vessel’s two rear foil control activators hit an object, the boat automatically braked and its raised hull then lowered towards the sea surface all of a sudden so that many passengers were thrown off their seats. Reports with photos: http://viewhk.blogspot.de/2015/10/mystery-surrounds-object-in-ferry.html http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1219683-20151026.htm http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1872181/rubber-tyre-floating-sea-suspected-causing-hong-kong-macau

121 injured in collision with unknown object

The number of people injured in the crash of the "Horta" in the evening of Oct 25, 2015, has risen to 121, including 14 who were in a serious condition. Meanwhile, the damaged ferry was towed back to a shipyard in Cheung Sha Wan for inspection. The "Horta" had crashed into an unidentified object on its way back to Hong Kong from Macau at 6:41 p.m. in waters off Siu A Chau near Lantau Island. A total of 163 passengers and 11 crew members were on board the high-speed ferry. Firemen, marine police and ship operator Shun Tak took part in rescue efforts. Eight people who were seriously injured were airlifted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment. Others were rushed to the Queen Mary Hospital, Ruttonjee Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Kwong Wah Hospital. Many doctors and nurses who were off duty voluntarily returned to their jobs to help treat the injured. A one metre-diameter rubber tyre was retrieved near the site of the crash prompting investigators to look into whether it caused the accident. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cHGKWUxlGQ