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With the discovery of all seven missing crew members of a sand barge that sank off Tung Lung Chau on December 7, the search and rescue operation co-ordinated by the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre of the Marine Department has been wound up.
The last body was located by Fire Services Department divers in the wreck yesterday afternoon (December 14). The bodies of the crew members found earlier have all been identified.
The sand barge with 14 crew members on board collided with a container vessel east of Tung Lung Chau and subsequently sank at the southern tip of the island on December 7 morning. In the wake of the incident, seven crew members were rescued and sent to hospital while seven were missing.
A joint search and rescue operation by the Marine Department, Marine Police, Fire Services Department and Government Flying Service was mounted. Vessels were deployed for sea surface searches and divers of the Fire Services Department conducted underwater searches. Aircraft of the Government Flying Service also mounted air searches.
Ends/Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:40
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