"Police arrested six individuals this afternoon. They are being investigated for endangering people's lives at sea," Security Minister Lai Tung-kwok said.
One of the boats was carrying more than 120 people to a fireworks display when it half-sank following the collision near Lamma Island.
The search for survivors is continuing.
The crash happened about 20:30 local time (12:30 GMT) on Monday. '
Care required by law'
Dozens of people were thrown into the
waters as the pleasure boat sank within minutes of impact. The ferry was
able to reach Lamma and disembark its passengers as it was taking on
water.
The government has confirmed that 37 people died - 32 adults
and five children. More than 100 people were injured. The number of
people missing is unknown. Police have arrested three crew members from each of the vessels involved in the accident, the security minister told a news conference.
The head of police, Tsang Wai-hung, said the suspects were responsible for operating the boats.
"From the investigation so far we suspect that the crew responsible for manning the two vessels had not exercised the care required of them by law to ensure the safety of the vessels as well as the people on board.
"We expect further persons to be arrested... The investigation will focus on criminal liability," he said.
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