A decision by the Cabinet to lift a detention order for two crew members of the Greek-registered MV Amorgos was announced yesterday, ending their seven months in custody.
Captain Evangelos Lazardis and chief engineer Vasileios Sardis, expressed their gratitude through the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (
"They said they felt happy upon hearing the news," Wu Jia-zhen (
Wu added that the association is also glad to see the happy ending.
The association filed a petition for the immediate release of the detainees on July 25, arguing that the detention was in violation of the crew members' human rights.
The two men were ordered not to leave Taiwan under the Marine Pollution Control Act after the Amorgos spilled roughly 1,150 tonnes of fuel oil into waters near Kenting National Park.
The worst oil spill in Taiwan since 1977, the incident polluted the coastal environment of Lungkeng Ecological Preserve (
Some 60,000 tonnes of iron ore also sank into the sea after the wreckage was hit by several typhoons.
The detention of the two men was complicated by diplomatic pressure from Greek officials and the international community.
In response to that pressure and to the rights association's petition, Secretary-General of the Cabinet Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) convened a cross-agency meeting on the matter yesterday.
Officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, the transportation and communications, justice and the Environmental Protection Administration agreed to lift the detention order.
However, both the detainees and the Nissos Amorgos Shipping Corp, the owner of the wreck, were required to sign a letter of undertaking as a condition for the crewmen's release.
The letter ensures that they will assume responsibility under Taiwan's laws and offer assistance to the nation's judiciary.
After receiving the signed letter, the Cabinet yesterday sent official documents to both the Hualien Harbor Bureau and the Bureau of Immigration to lift the detention order.
The environmental administration officials said the Cabinet's decision was acceptable.
"Since the investigation on the detainees' criminal responsibility and maritime responsibility for the wreck is over, we don't need them to remain here," said Chang Juu-en (
"They are now obligated to return here should Taiwan need them during a future investigation," Chang said.
Administration officials said that the letter signed by the two crew and the shipping company would be presented in an international tribunal in the future as evidence of their involvement in the oil spill.
The administration has authorized a Norwegian law firm to investigate the spill and will consider filing a lawsuit in Norway.
Administration officials, however, yesterday stressed that the compensation issue would be discussed continuously with both the shipping company and its insurance company.
They said that the shore cleanup costs and related personnel expenses had already reached NT$90 million.
"The total loss is still not known because we are still estimating the amount of loss to ecological and fishery resources," said Lin Chien-hui (林建輝), a senior specialist at the administration's Bureau of Water Quality Protection.
Charles Shih (
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS