All 19 crew members from a fuel-carrying ship that ran aground near Orchid Island were safely airlifted by National Airborne Service Corps helicopters on Tuesday. Authorities are now investigating reports of a possible oil spill from the vessel.
The multinational crew, consisting of seven Ukrainians, nine Egyptians, and three Russians, were rescued between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and taken to Orchid Island, where they were examined by medical staff and found to be unharmed, according to the Lanyu Township Office.
However, oil was detected in the waters near the island, prompting the office to request assistance from Taitung County’s Environmental Protection Bureau to address the situation, according to Lanyu Township Office Secretary Chou Li-chu.
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) reported that the Barbados-flagged Blue Lagoon ran aground 18 nautical miles from Orchid Island at around 4:28 a.m. amid rough seas caused by Typhoon Krathon. The vessel was en route from Caofeidian Port in China’s Hebei Province to Singapore, carrying 67,500 tons of iron ore and 227 tons of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO). The ship’s captain ordered the crew to abandon the vessel at 5:38 a.m. after it began taking on water.
This incident follows several other groundings in Taiwanese waters in recent months. In Tainan, three foreign cargo ships—Dopphin, Keta, and Sophia—remain grounded since Typhoon Gaemi hit in July. The Tainan Environmental Protection Bureau is overseeing the dismantling of the Keta, with work on the Dopphin set to begin shortly.