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A Government spokesman said today (December 29) that at 10 pm yesterday (December 28), the Immigration Department's hotline (2829 3010) had received a total of 1 190 calls --- 543 enquiries and 647 requests for assistance.

In the evening of December 28, Hong Kong Immigration Officers in Phuket received information from a lady of foreign nationality that her husband was killed in the tsunami attack. The deceased was a Mr. Leung, aged 39 years old, who held a Hong Kong Identity card and a British passport. The lady informed immigration officers that she had identified the corpse of her husband and had informed the British Embassy in Thailand about her husband's death. Immigration officers at Phuket are keeping close contact with the lady and will provide necessary assistance to her.

Arrangements have been made for three more Immigration officers to go to Bangkok, Thailand to provide assistance to and facilitate the safe return of Hong Kong people. Two Immigration Officers, Wong Tak-fai and Wong Kam-ling, Anna, had departed on flight CX709 at 9.55 pm yesterday while Assistant Principal Immigration Officer, Ip Chun-tang, will depart for Bangkok by flight CX713 at 9.05 am today.

Ends/Wednesday, December 29, 2004

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