12 Indonesian sailors lost at sea in shipwreck near Taiwan

TAIPEI (TVBS News) – Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration reported Tuesday (Nov. 1) that 12 Indonesian sailors are likely lost at sea after a shipwreck near the Taiwan coast. The Panama-flagged freighter sank a day earlier near the coast of central Taiwan. The stormy seas and strong winds from Tropical Storm Nalgae reportedly tilted the ship, causing water to enter the body and damaging the engine.

Five sailors out of the 17 on board were successfully rescued by an Evergreen Marine Corp freight. The coast guards found a rescue boat, but the remaining sailors were not on board. The coast guards first sent out 100 boats to search for the missing men, but the harsh weather made the rescue more challenging. Patrol vessel HSINCHU (CG5002) and Cutter TAIPEI (CG 116) also joined the search and rescue operation, which was still underway as of Wednesday.