Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/08/28
By: Yang Sze-rui and William Yen
Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) A group of 12 Indonesian sailors were rescued by the Taiwan
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
authorities Tuesday after strong wind and heavy seas pounded their vessel, which had been stranded off Kaohsiung coastline for nearly a week, according to a press release issued by the National Rescue Command Center (NRCC).
The cargo ship Jin Hua, which sails under the flag of Sierra Leone, was stranded off the coastline of the southern port city Aug. 23 when a tropical depression deluged the region, the NRCC said.
On that day, the vessel indicated that it did not need rescue as there was no immediate danger and that it would ask a shipping agency to arrange for it to be towed, the NRCC said.
However, the NRCC said it received a report Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. from the Maritime and Port Bureau’s South Taiwan Maritime Affairs Center that the crew had requested assistance to evacuate the ship due to the strong wind and heavy seas.
The 12 Indonesians were airlifted to safety by helicopter at 6:34 p.m., the Coast Guard Administration said, adding that the sailors were awaiting assistance from their shipping agency. [FULL STORY]