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The Director of Marine, Mr Roger Tupper, today (May 2) presented appointment letter to actor Ken Wong as the Water Sports Safety Ambassador.
Wong also plays a major role in a TV Announcement in the Public Interest (API) which is aimed at raising the safety awareness of boaters and swimmers.
Officiating at the Water Sports Safety Educational Seminar and Appointment of Water Sports Safety Ambassador and Launching of API Ceremony, Mr Tupper said that over the past few years, fatal marine accidents involving swimmers and boaters had occurred in waters adjacent to popular beaches, especially in the summer season when water sport activities peaked.
"Investigation into the causes of these accidents reveals that most of them can be attributed to boaters' inconsiderate or sometimes reckless driving behaviour as well as swimmers being unaware of the potential risk of danger when swimming outside of beach barriers and offshore amongst anchored boats," Mr Tupper said.
"Marine safety measures are ineffective without the awareness and co-operation of boaters and swimmers, and to address this, the Marine Police, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Marine Department are putting more effort into education and promotion aspects with a view to highlight proper safety procedures to be followed when boaters and swimmers are in close proximity."
The measures include an educational seminar, the appointment of a Water Sports Safety Ambassador and the launching of a TV/Radio API for the purpose of disseminating marine safety messages to the general public and the boating community in particular.
To underline safety at sea, the combined fleet of the Marine Police and Marine Department will step up its patrol activities in the vicinity of the speed restriction zones and the water areas surrounding popular gazetted beaches and water sport sites. A series of anti-speeding operations will also be launched.
"I am confident that with these measures together with the full co-operation of boaters and support from the general public, we will be able to enhance water sports safety in the coming summer season and the years to come,"Mr Tupper said.
"Hong Kong will not only continue to be one of the busiest commercial ports in the world, but also a safe and exciting area for marine leisure activities."
More than 100 people from the boating community and water sports associations participated in today's seminar, which is the second Water Sports Safety Educational Seminar jointly organised by the Marine Department, Marine Police and Leisure and Cultural Services Department. These events provide a good opportunity to promote safety awareness and a forum to canvass views from different boating communities on how to do the right things better in what is a rapidly growing marine recreational environment.
Ends/Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:06
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