HK police nab six crew as ferry toll goes up to 37

Hong Kong police arrested six crew on Tuesday after a ferry and a company boat carrying more than 120 staff and family celebrating the mid-autumn festival collided, killing 37 people as the boat sank.

The boat, belonging to Hongkong Electric Co, controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, was taking passengers to watch fireworks in the city’s Victoria Harbor on Monday when the two vessels collided near the picturesque outlying island of Lamma.

Five children were among the dead. More than 100 people were taken to hospital, with nine suffering serious injuries or in critical condition, the government said in a statement.

“We suspect that somebody did not fulfill their responsibility, that's why we made the arrests,” Police Commissioner Andy Tsang said. “We do not rule out the possibility that further arrests will be made.” The arrests involved crew of both vessels. The collision sparked a major rescue involving dive teams, helicopters and boats that saw scores plucked from the sea. A large crane on a barge was connected to the stricken boat.