Three crew members from a Chinese fishing boat are missing after their vessel collided with an unidentified ship and sank off the coast of Taiwan’s Kinmen islands on Saturday. This incident, the latest in a string of maritime events between Taiwan and China, has further strained relations between the two sides.
The Chinese-flagged boat, named “Min Long Yu 60877,” sank approximately 6.5 nautical miles from Kinmen after colliding with the unidentified vessel. Of the seven crew members on board, four were rescued, but three remain unaccounted for. A Taiwanese coast guard patrol boat dispatched to the area was unable to locate the missing crew.
Taiwan and China are actively engaged in an expanded search and rescue operation in the surrounding waters. The incident has sparked renewed tension between the two entities, following a fatal incident in February. In that incident, a Chinese fishing boat capsized while being pursued by the Taiwanese coast guard, resulting in the deaths of two Chinese crew members. This incident led to a prolonged dispute between Taiwan and China, with Beijing placing blame on Taipei.
The recent collision and subsequent disappearance of the three crew members have further escalated the already sensitive situation between Taiwan and China. The Kinmen islands, while administered by Taiwan, are located just five kilometers from the mainland Chinese city of Xiamen, making the area a focal point of maritime tensions. The ongoing search and rescue efforts will be closely watched as they offer insights into the growing complexities of the Taiwan-China relationship.
