Undocumented migrants rescued after boat crashes off Hong Kong

Nov 3, 2009, 9:56 GMT

   Hong Kong - Six undocumented immigrants were rescued from the sea after the speedboat being used to smuggle them into Hong Kong crashed while trying to escape police, officials said Tuesday.

   A marine police inflatable dingy also capsized in the incident, which happened Sunday night in bad weather in waters close to the Sai Kung area of Hong Kong.

   A police spokesman said two officers had to swim to safety while six Pakistanis were later rescued from rocks.

   Police later detained another eight undocumented immigrants and two Chinese who were suspected to be people smugglers.

   The group was among the latest in a surge of undocumented immigrants who have in recent months entered Hong Kong using people smugglers who take them by boat via busy shipping lanes from neighbouring southern China.

   The number of non-Chinese undocumented immigrants arrested in Hong Kong jumped from around 40 people a month at the beginning of the year to more than 150 a month in recent months.

   The surge was believed to be related to a High Court ruling in March that asylum seekers in Hong Kong may work in the city while awaiting decisions on their applications. There are currently about 5,600 asylum seekers in Hong Kong.

   The ruling appeared to have created a lucrative new trade for smugglers from China who used to make their living smuggling Chinese migrants across the border into Hong Kong.