Photo gallery: Hong Kong ferry tragedy

It started as a pleasure trip to view the National Day fireworks but ended in tragedy when 36 people perished in the choppy waters near Lamma Island, after their vessel collided with a ferry.

The fatality rate - almost a third of those on board - makes this one of Hong Kong's worst accidents in living memory. It is believed that the rapid sinking of the leisure vessel within 10 minutes of collision meant that many were trapped in its steel carcass and drowned.