A cruise ship lost power 2.5 nautical miles (4.6km) southwest of the Port of Kaohsiung on Monday afternoon.
There were 23 passengers on board the Chun (春) when it lost power.
The Kaohsiung Fleet Branch of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) rushed to the scene after receiving a report of the incident at 4:30pm while it was carrying out a regular patrol in the area.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
The fleet immediately reported to the 13th Patrol Command, which established an emergency response center and sent a vessel to rescue the ship.
The vessel met up with the Chun at 4:45pm and it learned that the captain, surnamed Kuo (郭), had contacted another boat, the Chung (忠), to come and provide assistance.
Members of the fleet calmed the passengers and the Chung arrived at about 6pm and towed the Chun to the harbor while being escorted by the patrol vessel.
The ship and the passengers safely arrived at 22nd dock at the Port of Kaohsiung at 7:50pm.
A preliminary investigation suggested that the boat accidentally used up its fuel because its fuel gauge was not working, the CGA said.
The fleet urged owners to properly maintain their ships, thoroughly check them before setting off and to pay attention to the weather forecast.
If an emergency occurs at sea, the CGA can be reached by telephone at 118.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition