When a Chinese ferry capsized, causing dozens to drown, and Hong Kong passengers who survived said they were ‘lucky to be alive’
- When a nearly new ferry capsized near the city of Jiangmen in Guangdong in 1985, it had 227 passengers and crew on board, including more than 10 Hongkongers
- More than 70 drowned, with 4 bodies not recovered; 7 Hongkongers were among the 152 survivors. The captain was praised for steering the vessel close to shore
“At least 80 people are feared drowned after a passenger ferry capsized in the West River near Jiangmen southwest of Canton yesterday morning,” reported the South China Morning Post on March 28, 1985.
“Reports from Canton reaching Hong Kong early this morning indicated several Hong Kong residents were on board the three-year-old Red Star 283. However, it could not be established immediately whether or not they were among the 149 passengers and crew saved.
“Rescue and salvage teams were working early today trying to account for the 80 passengers still missing.”
On March 31, the Post reported that “six Hong Kong people were believed drowned […] after salvage operations drew to a close yesterday morning [and] altogether four people were still missing after rescuers recovered a total of 71 bodies from the ferry.
“In an all night operation after the ferry was refloated at 10:15pm on Friday, the 71 bodies – including that of a woman found after rescuers cut open the boat on Thursday – were located.”
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“The authorities paid tribute to the captain of the Red Star 283 for bringing the vessel close to shore where the water was only five-metres deep.
“All the Hong Kong survivors agreed that they were lucky to be alive.”
