The Blue Lagoon, a Barbados-registered cargo ship, ran aground near on 1 October in Orchid Island off Taiwan’s southeastern coast amid rough seas caused by Typhoon Krathon.
The vessel, carrying 67,500 tonnes of iron ore and 227 tonnes of low-sulfur fuel oil, was en route from China to Singapore when it encountered the storm. The ship became stranded about 18 nautical miles from Orchid Island, and water began flooding the vessel, prompting the skipper to issue an order to abandon ship early in the morning.
The entire crew of nineteen members— composed of Ukrainians, Egyptians, and Russians — was airlifted to safety between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on 1 October by helicopters from the National Airborne Service Corps.
Despite the challenging conditions, all crew members were safely transported to Orchid Island, where medical personnel confirmed that everyone was in good health.
Authorities are now investigating reports of a potential oil spill resulting from the grounding.
