A rescue diver called to assist in the Oct 1 ferry disaster recalled trying to fight his way through the turgid swirling sea water as "in a washing machine" as he described efforts to save the lives of stricken passengers.

Yuen Ka-wai told the commission of inquiry that he arrived at the scene at around 10:15 pm, nearly two hours after the collision which fatally holed Lamma IV and sent her to the bottom. Yuen was the second fire services diver to enter the cabin of the sinking vessel. Over 100 people on board the Lamma IV were thrown into the sea after the vessel was struck by the Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Company vessel, the Sea smooth.

Yuen retold that when he dived near the cabin of the stricken-vessel, a strong current forced him into the cabin, where he saw a clutter of fallen objects blocked the passage. It took him more than 10 minutes to clear a path so that he could move forward, he told the hearing. With visibility of only two feet, Yuen described seeing a woman, who was passed out, caught between chairs.

Yuen was able to take the victim up through a narrow aisle of the vessel that was already tilted sharply. He said he needed all his strength to keep the injured woman stable as he handed her over to a colleague.

Another rescuer, Chan Man-fai, who was in charge of the operation that night, also dived into the cabin to rescue stranded passengers. Chan found five deceased in the cabin. Among them, only one had a life jacket, but it had not been secured properly. Chan believed that all of the victims gathered at the same place because they couldn't find the exit. He said he drew that conclusion since none of the victims had been crushed or impeded in making their exit by fallen objects.

Three victims, Chan believed, belonged to one family. He described a tragic scene of a boy held tightly by a woman, who was in turn, held in the arms of a man. Chan tried to save the boy by separating him from the woman but the boy was being held on too tight.

The commission verified that the three victims had different surnames and were not members of the same family.

Following Yuen, Lam Yim-lung was the third diver to enter the cabin. When Lam entered the wheel house at the upper deck, he described seeing a man with his backpack clinging to a pole. Near him, two women were holding hands. None wore life jackets, recalled Lam. Lam had to take them one by one to the surface, however, none survived.

Nine divers from the fire services testified on Wednesday. The commission will call three police divers to the stand next. Since their assignments include anti-terrorist work the police divers will give their testimony from behind a screen. Following the divers, other rescuers and inspection officers from the Marine Department will give their accounts.

stushadow@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 01/10/2013 page1)