PENGHU (TVBS News) — Chinese authorities released a Taiwanese crew member and three Indonesian fishermen from the Penghu fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88號) on Tuesday (Aug. 13) after more than a month of detention in Fujian. The captain and vessel remain detained pending legal proceedings.
The released crew members were transferred via a small boat to the median line of the Taiwan Strait, where the Da Jin Man No. 96 (大進滿96號) brought them back to Penghu.
The crew's release followed intense negotiations led by former Legislator Lin Ping-kun (林炳坤). A day earlier, Lin met with officials from the Taiwan Affairs Office of Fujian Province (福建省台辦) and Quanzhou City (泉州市台辦), advocating for the detainees' visitation rights.
Chinese authorities agreed to release the Taiwanese crew member and the Indonesian fishermen, but the captain's release will depend on the outcome of legal proceedings. The fishing vessel will also remain detained until penalties are confirmed.
China Coast Guard ships detained Da Jin Man No. 88 on July 2, citing violations of China's seasonal fishing ban and using nets smaller than the minimum legal mesh size. Authorities accused the vessel of damaging marine resources and the ecological environment.