Keelung, Taiwan — November 6, 2025
A fishing vessel registered in Badouzi, Keelung, identified as Li Fa 168, capsized this afternoon about 24 nautical miles north of Fugui Cape, leaving three fishermen missing. Out of the six crew members on board, three were successfully rescued by a nearby vessel, Li Fa 368, while search and rescue operations continue for the remaining crew.
According to the Keelung District Fishermen’s Association, the accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. The Coast Guard Administration’s Second Coastal Patrol Team received a distress call an hour later through the Keelung Fisheries Radio. Immediate rescue efforts were launched, deploying a 50-ton Coast Guard vessel and coordinating with a Seagull Rescue Helicopter for aerial support.
Association chairman Chien Chien-hui reported that the vessel’s captain, surnamed Hu, who is in his 60s, departed from Badouzi Fishing Port early in the morning to fish for shrimp near Fugui Cape. On board were three Chinese and two foreign fishermen.
Preliminary findings suggest that the boat lost control after its propeller struck driftwood, causing the propeller shaft to break and allowing seawater to flood the stern, leading to the capsizing. The three rescued fishermen—two Chinese nationals and one foreign crew member—were found by Li Fa 368, another vessel owned by the same family.
The wife of the boat owner raised the alarm after receiving word that the vessel had sunk but could not provide an exact location. The owner’s son, who captained the nearby Li Fa 368, was able to rescue some crew members before informing authorities.
Authorities continue their joint sea and air rescue operations, as the Coast Guard warns of rough conditions and floating debris in the area that may complicate the search.
The missing crew, including the captain Hu, remain unaccounted for as of this report.