Yilan County

Stranded ship left to mercy of typhoon after towing operation aborted

ship aground on Yilan coast
Marine and Fisheries Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

As Typhoon Mitag bears down on Taiwan’s northeast coast, harbor authorities decided to abort an operation to tow a 1,000 tonne freighter off the rocky shore at Daxi Harbor, Yilan County, yesterday, after an inspection team found that the hull had already been breached and had taken on water. The crewless, nameless, freighter ran aground Saturday, September 28, after drifting into Taiwan waters from the Yangtze River via the sea of Japan. Maritime authorities believe that the ship had been

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Ghost ship runs aground in Yilan County as tropical storm approaches

ship aground in Yilan County, Taiwan
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A crewless Chinese freighter first spotted drifting off the coast of northeastern Taiwan yesterday, September 27, ran aground on a rocky shoreline outside Daxi Fishing Harbor in Yilan County today, September 28. According to United Daily News, Japanese authorities alerted Taiwan about the drifting ship Thursday, September 26, after it was spotted in Japanese waters. Japan also contacted maritime authorities in China, but received no response from the Chinese. Taiwan coast guard ships yesterday intercepted the ship 15.7 nautical miles

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Big, pregnant great white shark caught off Taiwan’s north-east coast

Great white shark
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 16 Comments , , ,

A great white shark measuring over 4 meters long was delivered and sold at a fish market in Su’ao Township, Yilan County today, March 20, after being caught as bycatch off the northeast coast of Taiwan. The shark weighed in at 1170 kilograms and was sold by auction at a price of NT$50 (US$1.62) per kilogram for a total of NT$58,500 (US$1,898.90). The buyer, named as “Taiwan Ocean Art Museum” in various reports, appears to be a company engaged in

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Gas explosion leaves 3 dead, 12 homes damaged

smoke is seen rising after a gas explosion and fire in Yilan County
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A married couple and their eight-month-old baby died after a massive residential gas explosion destroyed one house and damaged 12 in Su’ao Township, Yilan County, yesterday, March 9. At around 5:00pm, a massive blast tore through the neighborhood on Shengxian Road, shattering neighbor’s windows and causing buildings as far as 400 meters away to shake. “I thought it was an earthquake,” a nearby resident told an Apple Daily reporter. The resident saw smoke pouring out of the house and wanted

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