Group of suspected illegal immigrants rescued from island

Christine Tang

A group of 13 suspected illegal immigrants stranded on the outlying island of Shek Kwu Chau were rescued in an air-and-sea operation yesterday, bringing the total of undocumented immigrants caught to about 100 in two weeks.

Police said they received a call at 8.25am from a Bangladeshi man saying he and 12 others were stranded on an island with no food or water and asked for help.

Marine police, firefighters and Government Flying Service helicopter were sent.

Local hikers also found six non-Chinese suspected illegal immigrants at Yi O on Lantau Island at 10.12am.

A Pakistani man at Nam Chung village, one Indian man at Tung Chung Station, a Pakistani and an Indian male at Nga Ying Kok campsite were brought to the police station for questioning.

Marine police arrived after receiving a report on Saturday that a man was waving for help and found 28 people on Po Toi Island without valid documentation.

Among them, 18 were from Bangladesh, three from Pakistan and seven from India.

On Friday, fishermen spotted someone waving for help near Waglan Island Lighthouse. Marine police arrested 28 Bangladeshis on suspicion of illegal entry.

During the three-year pandemic, an average of 1,000 to 2,000 illegal immigrants had been intercepted every year, police said.

"Since January this year, police have intercepted 940 non-Chinese illegal immigrants. Among them, 70 percent were intercepted between August and October 30," police said.

"Illegal immigrants come to Hong Kong to do illegal work and earn quick money. They mainly do logistics work such as heavy work at the construction site. It is harder for society to hire people for these tasks," Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Chan Hak-kan, who chairs the Legislative Council panel on security, said.

"To them, it is very attractive to work here even if they have to pay for travel expenses and smuggling fee.

"I think the government should strengthen relevant work, such as special intelligence gathering, high-profile patrols and encourage citizens to report on the matter. It not only affects our labor market, it also poses a risk to the security of Hong Kong."

It is understood that non-Chinese illegal immigrants flock to Hong Kong because the mainland has been cracking down on illegal employment, entry and residence without legal permits. Some who are afraid of being deported seek refuge in Hong Kong.

christine.tang@singtaonewscorp.com