TAOYUAN, October 6, 2025 — A Mid-Autumn Festival outing turned tragic in Taoyuan City when a 32-year-old Vietnamese man surnamed Nguyen was swept away by powerful waves near Yongan Fishing Port in Xinwu District on Sunday evening. Despite an extensive search operation by rescue teams, the man remained missing as of last night.
Authorities reported that Nguyen and his 34-year-old older brother, along with two friends, had gone to the beach on the left side of Yongan Fishing Port to relax and enjoy the holiday. At around 5:30 p.m., the younger brother accidentally slipped into the sea and was pulled away by the waves.
Panicked, the older brother immediately called 119 to report the incident. The Taoyuan Fire Department’s 119 Duty Command Center quickly dispatched eight firefighters, four fire trucks, and one ambulance to the scene. The Coast Guard Administration also joined the search, while authorities requested assistance from the Air Force for an aerial search by helicopter.
Rescue teams from the Yongan Detachment of the Second Battalion arrived at the scene at 5:33 p.m. and began a coordinated search effort with Coast Guard personnel along the outer shore near the Yongan tourist fish market. However, as night fell, worsening visibility and strong currents hampered the operation. The search was suspended at around 9 p.m. and scheduled to resume early Monday morning at 6 a.m.
According to police and fire officials, the Nguyen brothers were migrant workers employed in the Pingzhen and Yangmei districts of Taoyuan. They had gone to the beach to enjoy the holiday together when the tragedy occurred.
Authorities have reminded the public to exercise caution when visiting coastal areas, especially during changing tides or strong currents. The search for the missing man continues with assistance from land, sea, and air rescue teams.