Hong Kong police officer missing after boat capsizes in anti-smuggling operation, three others injured
- Source says Senior Inspector Lam Yuen-yee fell into waters near city’s international airport on Saturday morning
- Search and rescue operation includes members of elite ‘Flying Tigers’ unit
A Hong Kong police officer is missing and three others were injured after their high-speed vessel capsized during an anti-smuggling operation near the city’s international airport on Saturday morning.
Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee said the rescue mission would continue at night, as he visited the injured trio in hospital. But he did not respond to questions about the cause of the accident.
Police, firefighters and helicopters have been searching the sea since 8am to locate 37-year-old Senior Inspector Lam Yuen-yee, a source said.
The elite Special Duties Unit, also known as the “Flying Tigers”, has been conducting an underwater search.
Police said a vessel overturned when patrolling near Sha Chau to the south of the airport’s runway, at around 8.20am and four officers on board fell into the sea.
“Three officers were rescued and sent to Tuen Mun Hospital for treatment,” the force said. “Police and relevant departments continue to conduct the search and rescue operation for a police officer.”
Another police source said Lam was attached to the small boat division. The four officers were chasing a suspicious vessel, and all were wearing life jackets at the time of the incident.
The rescued officers had not suffered any major injuries or bone fractures.
About 2,300 police officers serve in the marine region. Police candidates must pass interviews and a series of tests, including a 100-metre swim and treading water for two minutes, before they are selected. The competition is keen – only about 10 per cent of applicants make the cut.
Selected officers then have to undergo four weeks at marine police training school to receive a professional maritime qualification, which recognises the competence of an officer to perform basic duties on a marine police launch or vessel.
According to the force’s website, a new fleet of high-speed craft equipped with more powerful engines, allowing them to travel at speeds in excess of 55 knots (about 102km/h), has been in operation since 2019.
Police and customs officials often conduct operations near Sha Chau to combat cross-border smuggling activities in which fishing boats, cargo vessels and speedboats ship products such as frozen meat from Hong Kong into mainland China.
Hong Kong police, customs seize HK$4.28 million worth of contraband from speedboat
In July, the Post reported that gangs controlled by Hong Kong triads were behind a massive smuggling operation delivering more than 1,000 tonnes of frozen meat a day to the mainland with the use of high-powered speedboats.
“They then cross into Hong Kong waters, pick up frozen meat from barges off Lung Kwu Chau, and race to loading bays just minutes away on the mainland.”
In the first eight months of this year, customs officers confiscated HK$480 million worth of luxury goods, frozen meat and other contraband in 52 cross-border maritime smuggling cases. They seized HK$490 million worth of smuggled goods in 62 cases in the whole of last year.
