Two hydrofoils ferrying passengers between the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau collided at night in heavy fog, injuring 133 people, AP quoted officials and local media as saying. The poor visibility Friday was also blamed for a number of other maritime accidents in the region. Parts of China's southern coast were enveloped in fog because of a warm, humid maritime air stream. Thick fog blanketed China's commercial center, Shanghai, where an unlicensed river ferry carrying 22 people capsized, leaving 10 missing, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported. The ferry, one of many that operate in the area without proper safety equipment or certification, sank near the city's Wusong pier shortly after the accident, Xinhua said. Ten men and nine women passengers were seriously injured in the ferry collision in Macau, suffering mainly head injuries and bone fractures that were not life-threatening, said Alex Che, a spokesman for the government of Macau. Another 114 passengers suffered lighter injuries and were also being treated in Macau, Che said. On Saturday, 23 people _ 15 men and eight women _ remained hospitalized, the Macau government said in a statement. All patients _ including five who underwent surgery _ were in stable conditions except one passenger who suffered a serious neck injury, the government said. Most of the patients were from either Macau, Hong Kong or China, with one Taiwanese citizen among the injured.
