Tainan Bamboo Raft Rescued by Penghu Coast Guard After Drifting at Sea

PENGHU, May 21 (CNA) – A Tainan-registered bamboo raft, "Nan Shih Fa 0357," that was drifting at sea due to a malfunction in the waters southwest of Penghu, was successfully rescued by the Penghu Coast Guard yesterday and towed to nearby Cimei's Nancu Port for repairs, with both crew and vessel safe. The 13th Patrol Area Command of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) received a report from the 6th Patrol Area at 4:28 p.m. yesterday, stating that the Tainan Anping-registered raft was adrift 16 nautical miles southwest of Cimei, Penghu, due to mechanical failure. Two crew members, including a captain surnamed Tsai, were on board. The Tainan Coast Guard initially went to assist, but to avoid increased search and rescue difficulty due to poor visibility after nightfall, they notified the Penghu Coast Guard to take over the rescue. The Penghu Coast Guard dispatched a patrol boat to assist, locating the raft at 6:10 p.m. 19 nautical miles southwest of Cimei. After boarding the raft, assessing the power loss, and assisting with troubleshooting, it was determined that the outboard motor could not be immediately repaired. The two crew members were first provided with drinking water, food, and warm items. For navigational safety, the raft was towed to Penghu's Cimei Nancu Port for repairs, arriving at 10:15 p.m. Both crew and raft were safe. The CGA's Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch urged mariners to strengthen pre-departure checks to ensure navigational safety. In case of an incident at sea, the public can call the CGA's toll-free "118" hotline for immediate assistance. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching)