Taiwan has been hit by Typhoon Gaemi, the most powerful storm to strike the island in eight years, leading to widespread maritime distress and causing multiple ships to run aground. The storm has left six crew members from a small cargo ship registered in Tanzania missing, while three others have been rescued along the coast. The Ministry of Transport reports that at least 58 crew members were on various vessels caught in the typhoon’s path.
Typhoon Gaemi made landfall on Taiwan’s northeast coast around midnight on Wednesday. Initial forecasts had the storm tracking further north, but it ultimately veered towards Taiwan. In anticipation, schools, businesses, and the airport were closed, and approximately 8,000 residents were temporarily relocated. The storm has claimed at least three lives on the island. The outer bands of Gaemi also impacted the Philippines, where a fuel tanker sank in Manila Bay.
Maritime Disaster Unfolds Amid Taiwan’s Strongest Typhoon in Eight Years
Early on Wednesday morning, the Central Disaster Response Center received a distress call from the Fu-Shun, a Tanzanian-registered cargo ship carrying a crew of nine, including one Taiwanese and eight Burmese sailors. The vessel, located about 19 miles off the coast of Kaohsiung, was reported to be severely listing. Within 45 minutes, the ship had sunk. Due to the storm’s intensity, the Coast Guard was unable to deploy planes or boats, as waves reached heights of 16 to 23 feet and wind speeds peaked at 118 mph. They issued a broadcast for nearby vessels to assist, and approximately two hours later, a Taiwanese freighter reached the area but found no trace of the Fu-Shun. Subsequently, three crew members were found ashore, while six remain missing.
The bulk carrier Hedwig Oldendorff, with a deadweight tonnage (dwt) of 209,240, issued a distress call during the storm but later confirmed its safety. However, the Coast Guard reported that six other cargo ships are stranded and in need of assistance. These ships are located along the southern coast, from Tainan to Kaohsiung and Pingtung. Among them, the Indonesian cement carrier Iriana, with a dwt of 10,300, experienced rudder issues before the storm and was anchored. It was driven ashore with a crew of 20.
Several smaller cargo ships also found themselves in peril. The Mongolia-flagged Basia (4,500 dwt), the Tanzania-flagged Xin Li (3,210 dwt), and the Togo-flagged Sophia (1,488 dwt) were reported driven onshore. Additionally, the Ginan, a general cargo ship registered in Cameroon with a dwt of 1,352, was anchored off Taiwan and also affected by the storm.
In response to the maritime crisis, officials have launched satellite monitoring and oil pollution control efforts as the typhoon begins to weaken. The storm is expected to make a second landfall in China later on Thursday, continuing its destructive path.
The situation underscores the severe impact Typhoon Gaemi has had on Taiwan’s maritime industry, with numerous vessels and crew members in distress. The combination of extreme weather conditions and the challenges of rescue operations highlights the vulnerability of maritime operations during such natural disasters. The ongoing efforts to locate the missing crew members and assist stranded ships continue as Taiwan deals with the aftermath of the storm.
