Taipei, 22 July: Work continued on Saturday to recover about 600 containers that fell into the ocean after the containership Angel sank while anchored off Kaohsiung port. The ship sank from the stern and with only its bow still above water, a large number of containers fell overboard. The Kaohsiung Branch of Taiwan International Ports Co (TIPC) notified the Coast Guard administration to assist in the evacuation of all 19 crew members. One of the seamen was injured and taken to hospital, but the injuries are not considered serious.
It could take four to five days to recover all the containers, depending on marine conditions, according to the TIPC, which has dispatched a total of 39 boats to the area. However, as of noon Saturday, only 26 containers had been retrieved, and there were reports of many others floating around and blocking local fishing boats and damaging fishing equipment.
The vessel’s captain had asked permission from the port authority to temporarily anchor on the western side of the 2nd anchorage of Kaohsiung Port, about 5 kilometres away from the facility’s southern breakwater back on 04 July. However, this past Thursday, the vessel, with a gross tonnage of 16,145 tons, began to list significantly, and the captain issued an order to abandon ship.
The accident affects the safety of the waterway, so the TIPC initially closed Port Entrance No. 1. All ships were then required to enter and exit from Port Entrance No. 2. The TIPC has since reopened Port Entrance No. 1 for incoming and outgoing vessels, but ship captains are advised to exercise caution.
Early Friday morning, Port Entrance No. 2 was temporarily closed. Then after an emergency clearance was conducted, Port Entrance No. 2 was reopened later in the day.
According to the Taiwan News, the TIPC has requested the shipowner to submit the wreck salvage, refloating, and oil-water extraction plan for the sunken ship in accordance with the Commercial Port Law. Additionally, the TIPC has dispatched vessels to monitor the area around the sunken ship.
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