One injured assisting crew of stranded carrier off HualienStaff writer, with CNAA rescue helicopter airlifted five people from a tugboat off Hualien yesterday, after a crew member was injured while trying to assist a drifting bulk carrier with five Filipino and 12 Taiwanese crew members. A helicopter airlifts crew members from a tugboat that was caught in a cable entanglement accident while attempting to assist a bulk carrier that went adrift due to mechanical failure off the coast of Hualien yesterday. An airlift was deemed necessary after rough sea conditions buffeted the tugboat, preventing the use of small boats to evacuate the crew, rescuers said. The helicopter arrived at about 3pm and airlifted all five crew members, including the semi-conscious Yu, 48, who was transported to a hospital for treatment immediately after the aircraft landed in Hualien, rescuers said. All 17 crew members on board the Panama-registered cargo ship owned by Taiwan's China Steel Corp remain safe with no injuries reported, and the vessel is in stable condition, the coast guard patrol team said.

Source: Taipei Times January 02, 2026 06:55 UTC