Shipping: Ship's crew rescued

The Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau rescued four crew members from a grounded cement ship near the harbor yesterday, but 19 of their shipmates refused to leave the listing ship because they were afraid to transfer to the rescue boat in rough waters, officials said. The Taiwan-registered Asia Cement No.6 was stranded near the Kaohsiung Harbor breakwater the day before in bad weather. Yesterday morning the harbor bureau sent rescuers in a large tugboat to move the crew ashore. Rescuers were reportedly angry with those who chose to stay on board the grounded vessel even though the seas were rough and the crew said that they felt safer staying on their crippled ship. Harbor officials and rescuers are watching the situation and waiting for the weather to improve.