Emergency preparedness: Several government departments joined forces with local oil companies in a drill on Lamma Island to clean up a mock oil spill.

Emergency services responded well to a '250-tonne oil spill' off Lamma Island yesterday.

The drill, co-ordinated by the Marine Department, was conducted to test the ability and efficiency of various Government departments and oil companies in combating oil spills.

During the simulation, a 3,000-tonne mock tanker 'ran aground' off Luk Chau Wan with about 250 tonnes of heavy fuel spilling into the sea from her damaged hull.

The exercise included an 'oil patch' of about 20 by 10 metres at a nearby beach.

The drill saw aerial reconnaissance, deployment of oil-containment and shore-sealing booms, oil recovery by skimmers, spraying of oil dispersant by launches and by helicopter, and a shoreline clean-up.

The Civil Aid and Government Flying Services, Police, and the Food & Environmental Hygiene, Highways, and Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Departments, and Hong Kong's oil companies took part.