TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A cargo vessel ran aground near an island in Penghu County on Dec. 17, leaking an estimated 20 tons of diesel fuel.
The Taiwan Coast Guard made contact with the vessel measuring 60 meters in length with a weight of 650 tons after it sent out a distress signal on Saturday (Dec. 16). The 31-year-old Haishun (海順) had an engine failure and was drifting in the Taiwan Strait until it ran aground several hundred meters off the north shore of Magong Island, reported UDN.
After initially losing power on Dec. 16, the vessel briefly made anchor near Jibei Island, but the anchor was damaged due to stormy weather, causing the ship to continue drifting southward.
On Sunday (Dec. 17), an order was made for the crew to disembark. Six members of the crew were reportedly airlifted to safety by the National Airborne Service Crew. As the ship ran aground it suffered a breach in the hull, which led to a leak of diesel fuel.
Inclement weather made it impossible for the Coast Guard to deploy booms immediately. Reports indicate that approximately 300 meters of coastline have been impacted by the leak, with the Ocean Conservation Administration managing cleanup operations.
The Taiwan Coast Guard towed the damaged vessel to Magong Commercial Port. The government will seek compensation from the ship’s owner, a company based in Cameroon, for expenses related to rescue, towing, and pollution cleanup, per UDN.
Coast Guard officers place booms to soak up fuel from the damaged vessel, Dec. 19. (Ocean Conservation Administration photo)
