Sparks and loud noise alarm residents as cargo ship hits islet near Hong Kong housing estate
The Touska, an Iranian vessel, was on its way from Taiwan to Shenzhen
Hong Kong authorities are looking into why a heavily loaded cargo vessel mounted an islet near Ap Lei Chau, a small island connected by bridge to the south of the city, after apparently straying off course on Sunday night.
No one was injured when the 294-metre container vessel left a fairway on the East Lamma Channel before running into Magazine Island, an uninhabited islet about 400 metres off residential estate South Horizons on Ap Lei Chau, at about 9pm.
According to ship tracker Marine Traffic, the Touska, which flew an Iranian flag, departed Kaohsiung in Taiwan for Shenzhen on Friday.
Images taken by witnesses on shore showed sparks coming from the bow as it approached the islet. Marine police and the Fire Services Department later confirmed there was no fire on board.
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None of the 28 or so crew members were injured or missing.