Three crew members from a cargo ship that sank off the coast of southern Taiwan were found alive on shore yesterday, and a body found on a beach was confirmed to be the captain of the ship.
The Tanzanian-flagged Fu Shun sent a distress call after listing in heavy seas and winds generated by Typhoon Gaemi at around 5:30 am yesterday, July 25. According to Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration, the crew of nine Myanmar nationals abandoned ship before it sank at 6:30 am about 19 nautical miles from the Port of Kaohsiung.
Search and rescue operations were hampered by severe weather conditions. NCGA dispatched the 3,000 ton vessel Kaohsiung and requested assistance from nearby ships. Smaller patrol boats were unable to go to sea, and helicopters were unable to assist due to sea and wind conditions.
Yesterday evening, two crew members were found by members of the public after reaching shore in Linyuan District, Kaohsiung City. Another crew member was found after reaching shore at Fengbitou Beach in Xiaogang District. The survivors included the first mate, chief officer, and a sailor. The three men were treated for minor abrasion injuries.
At around 6:45 am this morning, members of the public reported finding a body wearing a lifejacket washed ashore at Zhongmen Beach in Kaohsiung Forest Park. The other crew members identified the deceased as the captain of the ship.
As weather conditions improved today, the National Airborne Service Corps dispatched helicopters to search for the five crew from the Fu Shan who remain missing. NCGA also dispatched ships for surface search and rescue operations.
As of today, Friday, July 26, a total of 11 shipping accidents have been reported around Taiwan in the wake of Typhoon Gaemi, including 10 ships grounded.
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