New lake formed by landslide in Taitung County, but Safety concerns about possible dam burst

The Taitung Forest District Management Office is monitoring a barrier lake formed after a landslide blocked a section of the upper reaches of the Danan River in Taitung county, and is warning residents and visitors to stay out of the riverbed below the newly-formed natural dam. Residents of Dongxing Village, Beinan Township, Taitung County, alerted authorities after water in the Danan Stream had a sudden significant decrease in water flow on February 5. A subsequent investigation revealed that a landslide

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Taiwan Coast Guard reaches, prepares to board fishing boat to investigate missing crew

The 1,000 ton class Taiwan Coast Guard cutter Patrol No.8 has reached the Taiwanese fishing vessel Yong Yu Sing No.18 west of Midway atoll, and officers are preparing to board the vessel to investigate the fate of the missing crew today, January 29. The Yong Yu Sing No.18 was first reported missing December 30 after the owner lost contact with the crew. A subsequent air search by a US fixed-wing aircraft from Hawaii located the vessel 606 nautical miles northeast

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Unexploded depth charge found while unloading catch in fishing harbor

Coast Guard officers blockaded a fishing port in Kaohsiung City yesterday, after an unexploded depth charge was found on a fishing vessel while the crew was unloading the catch at the fish market. The unexploded bomb was found at 11:00 am at the Keziliao Fishing Harbor. Entry to the port was blocked until an bomb disposal team from the Army Fourth Regional Support Command ammunition depot arrived at around 1:00 pm. Army personnel identified the bomb as an MK6 depth

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Derelict freighter aground in Penghu Islands identified, leaking oil

An unmanned ship that ran aground in the Penghu Islands yesterday, was identified as the Philippine-registered HM FOUNDATION, but the last-registered owner has claimed that the ship has been sold, and did not disclose who currently owns it. Coast Guard officers boarded the vessel today and confirmed that there was no crew onboard. A large amount of water was present in the cargo hold, and some oil was leaking from the ship. The Coast Guard Administration dispatched three boats to

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Ghost freighter runs aground in the Penghu Islands

An unnamed, unmanned freighter ran aground on Xiji Island in Penghu County, Taiwan in the early hours of this morning, January 18, and authorities are concerned of a possible pollution incident. The Coast Guard Administration Penghu branch received a report of a freighter seen aground on the rocky northern coastline of Xiji Island at around 10:20 am. The coast guard sent two patrol boats and a helicopter on an emergency rescue mission, only to find there was apparently nobody aboard

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Taiwanese long-liner with missing crew under tow and expected to be boarded tomorrow

A Taiwanese fishing vessel that has been drifting at sea with no sign of crew after being spotted by a search and rescue aircraft January 2, is now under tow, and expected to be able to be boarded once it reaches calmer waters tomorrow. See previous stories: Missing Taiwan fishing boat spotted near Midway, no sign of crew Mystery deepens over Taiwanese ghost ship adrift in Pacific Ocean After being approached by Taiwanese fishing vessel Lian Horng No. 67, who

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Mystery deepens over Taiwanese ghost ship adrift in Pacific Ocean

The fate of the crew of a Taiwanese long-liner adrift in the Pacific Ocean is still unknown, after a fishing vessel approached the boat today, and failed to make contact with the crew, despite photographic evidence that suggests someone may still be onboard. The Port of Su’ao based long-liner fishing boat Yong Yu Sing No.18 was reported missing January 1, and was spotted by a fixed wing aircraft dispatched from Honolulu January 2, adrift more than 600 nautical miles northeast

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Missing Taiwan fishing boat spotted near Midway, no sign of crew

A Taiwanese ocean-going fishing vessel that lost contact six days ago was spotted from the air north of Midway Island January 2, but there was no sign of crew aboard the ship. The owner of the Tuna longliner, Yong Yu Sing No.18, reported the ship missing after failing to make contact with the captain on December 30. On January 1, the owner requested help via the Port of Su’ao Fishery Radio, and notified the Fisheries Bureau, Coast Guard, and the

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Evergreen Marine container ship loses 36 containers at sea

Taiwan shipping company Evergreen Marine Corporation announced today that 36 containers had fallen off its vessel EVER LIBERAL after leaving the Port of Busan en route to Los Angeles on December 30. According to Evergreen, the 8,452 TEU container ship encountered strong winds and rough seas 20 nautical miles south of Kyushu, Japan, causing the collapse of container stacks on the vessel. Twenty-one 40-foot containers fell onto the deck, while 36 fell into the sea. Evergreen said that no personnel

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Burmese oil tanker crewman airlifted to Taiwan after being stabbed at sea, but dies in transit

A Myanmar national died after being airlifted to Taiwan for emergency treatment following a stabbing incident aboard an oil tanker north of Pengjia Islet yesterday, January 1. Taiwan’s Coast Guard received a request for emergency assistance at 6:10 pm stating that a crew member on the Cook-Island-flagged oil tanker NEW PROGRESS was seriously injured after being stabbed twice during a fight with another crew member. The injured crew member had low blood pressure and a weak heartbeat, according to the

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Disabled oil tanker drifting towards Philippines

A crude oil tanker that lost power after an engine room fire near Orchid Island, Taiwan, yesterday, December 8, has drifted towards the Philippines northernmost island of Mavulis, according to reports this evening, December 9. See previous story: Coast Guard dispatches helicopter, patrol boats after oil tanker catches fire off Taiwan’s east coast United Daily News reported this afternoon, that the 58,446 ton, Liberian-registered MARQUESSA remained adrift, after poor weather prevented a tug leaving the port of Kaohsiung earlier today.

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