KEELUNG CITY, Taiwan — A 60-year-old man surnamed Wang caused repeated commotion at Keelung Harbor on October 7 after jumping into the sea three separate times in one day, claiming he was “swimming” under the instructions of the deity Jigong.
According to the Keelung City Fire Department, the first incident occurred around 2 p.m. when Wang, wearing only his underwear, leapt into the water from Ocean Plaza, leaving his clothes and backpack behind. Firefighters quickly arrived, threw him a lifebuoy, and helped him climb back to safety using a ladder. Wang was later taken to the hospital for examination and found unharmed.
However, just three hours later, at around 5 p.m., authorities received another report of a man jumping into the same harbor. Rescuers arrived to discover it was once again Wang. He was pulled from the water and handed over to police for further assistance.
Astonishingly, by 8 p.m., Wang jumped into the harbor for a third time. When firefighters and police reached the scene, he briefly submerged himself underwater before resurfacing. After persistent persuasion, he finally agreed to come ashore.
After drying off, Wang reportedly lit a cigarette and drank from his bag. He told officers that he had been unemployed for two months, surviving on a monthly subsidy of NT$3,200, and that “Jigong instructed him to dive for clams.”
Authorities confirmed that Wang was intoxicated but uninjured. Fire officials, however, expressed frustration over the repeated false alarms, noting that each rescue call required multiple fire and police teams, vehicles, and boats from various departments.
“This kind of reckless behavior wastes valuable rescue resources and endangers responders,” a firefighter said, urging citizens not to engage in dangerous stunts or hoaxes.