Police and armed Regiment soldiers will today mount a high-security operation to guard a Chinese ship suspected of carrying more than 80 illegal migrants.

The Xing Da is due to berth at Murray's Anchorage today -- under US Coast Guard escort and with 11 armed Marines on board.

A one-mile exclusion zone will be established around the ship -- enforced by the Marine Police -- and boats are being warned to stay away.

The Regiment will back up Bermuda's Police to patrol the land near the Anchorage to ensure none of the passengers can reach Bermuda.

The Canton-registered cargo ship was under surveillance by the US Coast Guard when it lost power in rough seas last week about 140 miles west of Bermuda.

As a result it was boarded by armed US Marines and Coast Guard officers to try and get the ship underway.

It is understood there was also evidence to suggest that due to raucous behaviour on board, some of the crew had decided to scuttle the ship.

However the vessel could not be repaired at sea and as the weather worsened the Bermuda Government was asked on Saturday for a safe harbour to repair the ship.

Under the terms of international conventions the Government was obliged to help -- but laid down strict conditions that the passengers or crew would not be allowed to land on Bermuda.

US authorities were also asked to bring in planes to fly the 109 passengers and crew off Bermuda if the ship could not be repaired in reasonable time.

Yesterday US Consul General Robert Farmer said American authorities had reason to believe illegal immigrants, bound for America, were on board.

Checks were made with the People's Republic of China and the ship was boarded, he said. Members of the Marines, Coast Guard and Immigration and Naturalisation Service are on the ship.

"It was tracked for several days by the Coast Guard as are vessels suspected of this type of thing. It became apparent that the ship was disabled so they came on board after talking to the People's Republic of China.

"The boat was in serious trouble, it had lost power and electricity and the US Coast Guard had to tow it.

Mr. Farmer will today visit the US Coast Guard cutter Reliance which is towing the Xing Da and also possibly board the Chinese ship.

He said the US authorities were trying to get planes to Bermuda as soon as possible and the passengers would be flown off rather than waiting for the ship to be repaired. However it is unlikely they will leave today.

"No passenger or crew member will be allowed off the ship until their final destination has been determined. All necessary equipment, including handcuffs, are on board the ship,'' Mr. Farmer said.

The people on board will be taken to a detention centre either in the Bahamas, the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or Wake Island in the Pacific.

Passengers will be repatriated to China and the crew and any migrant-smugglers would be prosecuted to the "fullest extent of the law''.

"There are alleged criminals on board and people suspected of being involved in nefarious activities. Those that are not engaged in criminal activities will be repatriated to China,'' added Mr. Farmer.

The ship itself is likely to be taken to the United States for disposal.

Yesterday Governor Lord Waddington embodied the Regiment -- for the first time in almost a decade -- to back up Police guarding the ship.

About 100 soldiers will support the unarmed police force in throwing a one-mile exclusion zone around the vessel when it anchors.

Bermuda's soldiers last were called out in 1987 when Hurricane Emily hit the island.

Last night in Washington, State Department spokeswoman Susan Snyder said the Xing Da was the 11th or 12th Chinese ship carrying illegal immigrants to be intercepted since 1991. She said most were intercepted in the Pacific Ocean.

Chinese ship due in today From Page 1 It is thought this ship, which set sail in June, probably came around the Horn of Africa to avoid more policed waterways like the Panama Canal.

At first it was suspected that the 26 crew were members of the Chinese Mafia -- or Triads -- but yesterday Mr. Farmer said the US had no information to support that theory.

However Ms Snyder said the mafia charged the passengers between $20,000 and $30,000 for the illicit passage.

"Sometimes, they change the price in mid-ocean and you end up with some kind of indentured servant ... It's a very inhumane thing,'' she added.

US Marines were called in to provide security while the Coast Guards operated the ship, a not uncommon practice for interceptions involving large ships or large numbers of immigrants, she said.