The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government was glad to learn about the resolution of the hostage incident in Turkey and the release of the hostages including the Hong Kong flight crew, a government spokesman said Monday.
"We learned from the Cathay Pacific Airways earlier that some of its 16 flight crew members who were accommodated in the Swissotel in Istanbul, Turkey, were detained in the hotel," the spokesman said.
The spokesman noted that the Immigration Department had immediately contacted the Cathay Pacific Airways. The Immigration Department had all along, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office in the Hong Kong SAR, requested for the assistance from the Chinese Embassy in Turkey to make inquiries about the incident and to provide every possible assistance.
It had also kept in close contact with the Cathay Pacific Airways to ascertain the situation and personal safety of the crew.
"We are very glad to learn that the incident has been resolved and all hostages including Hong Kong residents are safely released. The Hong Kong SAR government will continue to follow up on the incident and maintain contact with the Cathay Pacific Airways so as to ensure the safe return of the persons concerned," the spokesman said.
(People's Daily 04/23/2001)
