Taiwan’s Coastguard Administration rescued the crew of a general cargo ship that grounded in the Taiwan Strait on October 17.
The ship was grounded during the latest typhoon to hit the region, while gale force winds made the rescue operation difficult. Luckily, all 14 crew were successfully removed by helicopter.
The crew had issued a distress call, reporting that the vessel had lost power and was drifting in the storm. What is more, weather conditions at the time were reported to be poor with heavy rain, storm force wind between 35 and 45 mph with gusts toward 60 mph.
According to information, the crew had tried to anchor the vessel in its position west of Taiwan, but it drifted for about seven nautical miles dragging its anchors before coming to rest.
Taiwan deployed three patrol boats, as well as a fixed-wing airplane. However, coastguard helicopters were the ones that managed to reach the vessel and transport the 14 crew in two batches to shore.
Currently, the Coastguard is monitoring the ship for possible damage or oil leaks, while a plan to refloat the vessel will be prepared after the seas calm.
