Solemn ceremony: Senior officials offer their condolences to the Manila hostage victims at the airport, while Chief Secretary Henry Tang places flowers on each coffin and comforts the injured victims.

Chief Secretary Henry Tang and other senior officials offered their condolences to the Manila hostage victims and their families when they returned to Hong Kong tonight. He urged the Philippine government to provide a detailed account of the causes of death and injury.

Aboard the chartered flight were the eight bodies of the tourists slain in the hijacking, four of the seven injured hostages, their family members, Government officials and a support team. Another injured victim Yik Siu-ling will return later tonight on a medical flight.

Mr Tang and the families placed wreaths on the coffins before they were sent to Kwai Chung Public Mortuary. Some of the injured were sent to local hospitals, where Chief Executive Donald Tsang later visited them.

Also attending the mourning ceremony at Chek Lap Kok Airport was Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong Li Gang, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong Lu Xinhua, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee, Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Rita Lau and Legislative Council President Jasper Tsang.