Passing ships urged to heed safety after freighter mishap

Taipei-Ships sailing near a Panama-registered freighter in distress in waters off Kaohsiung Harbor should take extra safety precautions after two containers fell off the ship on Saturday when it listed to one side, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has urged.

The freighter began to tilt precariously in sea waters west of the city's harbor on Saturday morning. All 13 Indonesian crew members aboard were rescued after a helicopter sent by the military and four patrol boats dispatched by the CGA arrived at the scene.

The freighter, which is carrying 85 refrigerated containers, 26 metric tons of diesel oil, and around 200 liters of motor oil, was tilting at a 40-45 degree angle as of early Saturday evening.

The CGA said no oil slicks have been detected, but it warned passing ships to take safety precautions because of the two containers that fell into the sea.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel