Dense Fog Disrupts Penghu Air Traffic; Additional Flights and Military Transport Deployed

PENGHU, June 21 (CNA) — Heavy fog blanketed Penghu this morning, resulting in the cancellation of six domestic flights and affecting travelers returning from the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. The airport saw long queues of passengers seeking standby seats.

In response to the travel disruptions, Legislator Yang Yao and the Penghu County Government coordinated with airlines to manage the passenger flow. Uni Air added a 9:40 PM flight, while Mandarin Airlines upgraded its 10:05 PM service to a larger Boeing 737-800 aircraft to increase capacity to Taipei. Additionally, the Ministry of National Defense deployed a C-130 transport aircraft at 4:40 PM to assist with transit to Kaohsiung. Maritime transport services remained unaffected.

Separately, low visibility caused by the fog led to two maritime incidents in the inner Penghu waters. Two fishing vessels collided with a bridge pier and ran aground on a shallow reef, respectively. Both vessels sustained damage, but all nine crew members were safely rescued and towed to Xiyu Shipyard with the assistance of local police, firefighters, and other fishing boats.

The Penghu Meteorological Station attributed the event to the interaction between warm air and cooler seawater, compounded by southern winds. Visibility dropped below 100 meters, only improving after 7:00 AM as temperatures rose.