At least 36 people have died and dozens more injured in a tragic accident. When a passenger ferry carrying more than 120 passengers on a company outing, collided, with another boat and sank. Near an island, south of Hong Kong, in one, of the city's worst maritime accidents.

Hong Kong Electric Power Company were taking their staff and family members to watch a fireworks display. When the ferry hit another smaller boat head on and started sinking quickly. Most of the deceased were on board the Hong Kong electric ferry. The boat owned by Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Holdings limped back to shore with a badly damaged bow.

Many of the visibly shocked and traumatised passengers and crew on board were taken to hospital with injuries. A fast moving relay service sees the 100 or so passengers helped by medics on the quay side.

The director of Hong Kong Electric spoke out to confirm that the accident was not due to any problems with the boat or lax safety standards . He said:

"Our ship's license was granted just recently, so this is not an issue about inspection. I hope everyone understands that we were directly crashed into. This is equivalent to a car colliding straight into you, and when this happens, whether or not the car had undergone inspections earlier, is a completely different issue."

At the moment the cause of the collision is unclear and is currently being investigated.

Written and presented by Ann Salter