Jetfoil "Urzela" stopped suddenly as it approached Macao this afternoon (23 October), causing 32 passengers and crewmembers onboard injured.

Director of MSAR Port Authority, Wong Soi Man, said at a joint press conference held after the rescue that the Port Authority had set up a joint rescue operation with the Customs Services, the Fire Brigade, the vessel company and the public hospital immediately after receiving report on the accident at 7:25 pm.

Wong Soi Man confirmed that 32 were injured in the accident. "23 men and nine women were treated at the hospital, five of them were diagnosed with serious injuries, and the other 27 had left the hospital after initial treatments," she said.

She said that the jetfoil had come to a stall on its way to Macao. The cause of the accident was yet uncertain, but the authorities had already launched an investigation.

"Urzela", left Hong Kong this afternoon at 6:32 to Macao, had on board 87 passengers and 11 crewmembers at the time of the accident.