Shocked witnesses of the disaster that sent Lamma IV to the bottom of the sea became the first responders to the incident, leaping into action and plucking 18 survivors out of the water.

Stark and somber recollections of heroic deeds were delivered by three passengers who were traveling aboard Lamma II on the night of Oct 1. The vessel was enroute to Victoria Harbour to view the National Day fireworks, while Lamma IV was traveling ahead when it was rammed by the Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry ship, Sea Smooth, sending 39 people to their deaths.

A Commission of Inquiry is continuing into Hong Kong's worst maritime tragedy since 1971.

A daily commuter working at Lamma Island's Hongkong Electric power station, 39 -year-old Ho Man-kei, was one of the first aboard Lamma II to learn of the collision, he told the inquiry on Friday.

Ho was organizing games among passengers aboard the launch when he heard there had been a collision. Lamma IV came into view about a minute later, he testified.

Close to within 60 meters, Ho noticed several people struggling in the water. He seized a life buoy nearby. Tossing it to a colleague who was treading water near the launch. Ho then ran to the starboard (right) side of the vessel. He threw a rope to two elderly women and a child whom he personally plucked out of the water.

Testifying in a quiet voice, Ho then described how he located an older couple near the stern and helped them aboard. There was another woman, nearly unconscious and still another couple near the stern. He saw crew members of Lamma II dive into the water and help bring in more stricken passengers from Lamma IV. Ho was involved in rescuing nine of the 18 passengers saved by the actions of crew and passengers aboard Lamma II.

Passengers aboard both ships were part of a Hongkong Electric party. Assistant Recreation Officer and former coxswain, 58-year-old Leung Kwok-wai, said he told the captain of Lamma II to sail towards the collision after being informed.

A chief operations director for a Sino-Japanese joint venture company, Chui Wai-tok, told the inquiry that before he had the doomed ship in view, Lamma II decelerated suddenly. Chui overheard someone say, "Lamma IV is out of order again".

The 35-year-old joined the rescue effort, throwing life buoys and jackets overboard to survivors. He told the inquiry a white pleasure craft drew near and with its lights illuminated the surrounding waters.

"Men were on the starboard side helping people out of the water while the women were applying first aid," he said, adding authorities did not arrive until 15 minutes after those aboard Lamma II began their own rescue.

Chui said the Lamma IV pitched downwards, stern-first, within 30 seconds and within two minutes it was nearly submerged.

Twenty-six-year old Hongkong Electric engineer Chan Wing-hang testified that he saw a vessel, which he presumed to be Sea Smooth, make a sudden and unusual turnabout and sail to the Lamma Island pier at high speed.

Another Hongkong Electric engineer Law Kwok-chong, who had previously been responsible for the maintenance of the company's vessels, told the inquiry he had learned from colleagues that the crew manning the Lamma II were outsourced workers.

Law told the inquiry he ordered Lamma II's crew to turn on all the vessel's lights to illuminate the dark waters, rounding up first aid deliverers, passing out first aid kits and radioing the company's office on Lamma Island.

Most of those rescued were not wearing life jackets, including the child Ho saved, the inquiry heard.

The inquiry will resume on Jan 7 when it will hear from other passengers aboard Sea Smooth as well as rescuers and first responders from Police Special Duties Unit and the Fire Services Department.

tim@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 12/22/2012 page1)