Beijing: Ending a daylong drama and health alert, all 10 Indian sailors on board a Malaysian-registered cargo vessel, who complained of SARS-like symptoms, were discharged by Hong Kong's authorities, official sources said on May 5.

"The 10-member crew, who were sent to Princess Margaret hospital on May 4, were discharged from the hospital on May 5 night and then sent back to their vessel," a spokesman for the Department of Health said. "It was a case of false alarm."

The quarantine order for the entire crew of the ship, "Bunga Melawis Satu" had been lifted, the spokesman said.

The sailors, aged between 23 and 51, were administered a blood test, chest x-ray and other tests for SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). However, they showed no symptoms of SARS, which has killed over 170 people in Hong Kong.

Health authorities in Hong Kong on May 4 boarded the freighter which was moored off an uninhabited island and successfully transferred the sick Indian sailors while other 14 crew were quarantined for 14 days, suspecting a SARS outbreak.

The vessel was on its way from Thailand to Huangpu in Guangdong. It was reported that the vessel set off from Ma Ta Put in Thailand on April 28.

The ship had earlier docked at three ports in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia where SARS cases have been reported.

The captain of the vessel, which was carrying chemicals and was originally bound for the Southern Chinese port of Guangzhou, made the emergency appeal to dock in Hong Kong after 10 crew members were found to be ill with fever, cough and body ache, the symptoms of SARS.

PTI