The Neftegaz-67 collided with a Chinese bulk carrier last month and sank.
Only two of the vessel's 25 crew were rescued. The salvage operation is
expected to take at least two weeks.


Through the morning haze and into Hong Kong's busy waters, Asia's largest
salvage vessel the Hua Tianlong.

Onboard, a giant red heavy-lift crane needed to recover the Ukrainian
tugboat Neftegaz-67.

It sank in Hong Kong last month after colliding with a Chinese
freighter.

Once the tugboat has been removed from the sea, another grim task will
begin - that of recovering the bodies of its crew.

The Neftegaz-67 sank with 25 people onboard.

Only two were rescued.

Many of the others are still thought to be inside the tugboat's hull.

The 80 metre long Neftegaz-67 came to rest sitting upside down in 40 metres
of water.

 Lau Wing Kin, Marine officer/quality assurance, Hong Kong Marine
Department, saying :
"The salvage ship will prepare for a few days before it starts to
lift the ship off the sea bed and turn it right side up. After it turns the
tug right side up it will lift it out of the water."

The operation will be long and difficult, taking crews working around the
clock at least two weeks.

Swift currents and poor visibility are expected to complicate the salvage
operation.

Andrew Potter, Reuters