Activities on board yacht; Dr Earle Reynolds; Chinese bid farewell to yacht; Phoenix sets sail.




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Background: The yacht "Phoenix" with eight American Quaker pacifists on board left Hongkong on Wednesday bound for North Vietnam laden with medical supplies. They sailed in defiance of a warning from the U.S. Government that their journey to North Vietnam was against Government passport regulations.

The "Phoenix" is laden with medical supplies worth ten thousand U.S. dollars and is bound for the North Vietnam port of Haiphong. Before the yacht left Hongkong, its captain, Dr Early Reynolds, was warned by U.S. Consular officials that his passport did not cover him for travel to Haiphong.

Dr Reynolds, aged 53, is accompanied by seven other Quakers. In Hongkong, his Japanese wife said that Dr Reynolds has so far not made direct contact with the North Vietnamese authorities.

Members of the yacht crew said that they intended staying one week in Haiphong before returning to Hongkong to take on more medical supplies.

The "Phoenix" is a 30-ton, 50-foot ketch registered in Honolulu. According to U.S. Consular officials, it is unlawful for a United States ship to sail for North Vietnam or to take on cargo for that country.