Storm Sends Seven Ships Aground off Kaohsiung

Seven merchant vessels have gone aground off the port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, driven ashore by a severe storm. All crewmembers aboard the vessels are safe, according to Taiwan's Maritime and Port Bureau. 

On Thursday morning, heavy rains and winds arrived in Kaohsiung, a busy port city on the southwestern tip of the island. The wind intensified at about 1000 hours Thursday, and five vessels - the freighters Taicang Lake, Amway 669, Changlong 68 and Shun Yu and the tanker Feilong - went aground outside the main harbor. These ships had 66 crewmembers and about 85 tonnes of fuel oil on board in total, and all are empty of cargo. 

As of Friday, Taiwanese media reported that seven vessels were aground. 

 

Tugs from Taiwan Port Hong Kong Company and Kaohsiung Gangqin Company have been mobilized to respond, and as of Thursday night, 52 crewmembers had been rescued successfully.

Separately, a fishing vessel lost power off Yehliu, New Taipei and went aground early Friday morning. The vessel broke up, but all seven of its crewmembers were rescued. One individual, a Chinese national, was taken to National Taiwan University Hosital-Jinshan for medical treatment.