Kaohsiung fishing boat fire: 32 crew rescued

A fire engulfed the Kaohsiung-based deep-sea fishing vessel "Ri You 868" in the early hours of August 9th. The incident occurred in the exclusive economic zone of Papua New Guinea.

Despite the vessel being largely consumed by flames, all 32 crew members, comprising Taiwanese and Filipino nationals, were safely rescued. The fire, which reportedly began in the suspected cockpit area, is currently under investigation. The vessel was not actively fishing at the time of the incident and the crew were resting.

Assistance came from a neighboring fishing vessel, which approached to help extinguish the fire and evacuate the crew. The blaze was brought under control after nearly two hours. The "Ri You 868" is a purse seiner, a type of fishing vessel that operates collaboratively with other boats. The damaged vessel is now being towed to a port in Micronesia.