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| Peng Qinghua (2nd, R), Director of the Liaison Office of the Chinese Central People's Government in Hong Kong, pays last respects to the victims of a fatal ferry crash in Hong Kong, south China, Oct. 4, 2012. Thirty-eight people including at least five children were killed after two ferries collided on Monday evening off Hong Kong' s Lamma Island. (Xinhua/He Jingjia) |
HONG KONG, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Director of the Liaison Office of the Chinese central government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Peng Qinghua, together with 26 senior officials in the office, expressed condolence Thursday to the victims in a fatal ferry collision.
The mourning started at 12:00 noon outside the Liaison Office building. Peng and the other officials, all in black and wearing white flowers on their chests, observed three-minute silence for the victims.
At around 1:00 p.m., Peng headed to the Kennedy Town Community Complex, one of the 18 condolence places set by the regional government.
Peng wrote on the condolence book that he mourned the victims in the ferry collision off Lamma Island with deep grief.
Peng said that officials from the Liaison Office rushed to hospitals to visit the injured shortly after the accident occurred, and rapidly contacted relevant departments of the Chinese mainland at the request of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-Ying to facilitate rescues.
Peng said this showed the kinship between people from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, and the Liaison Office's assistance is within the scope of its responsibility.
He said believes Hong Kong people are brave and united in the face of disaster, and the Liaison Office will continue to watch the development closely.
Two vessels, with about 100 people onboard, collided on Monday evening off Lamma Island to southwest of Hong Kong Island, killing at least 38 passengers.
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