An unmarked vessel and its six crew members were detained yesterday for trespassing in Taiwanese restricted waters, said the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).
The vessel, which did not display a name, registered home port or ship certificate, was spotted around 8 am by the CGA’s Hsinchu unit in waters 20 nautical miles northwest of Taoyuan’s Yongan (永安) area, the CGA said in a statement.
A CGA patrol boat sent to the area intercepted the suspicious vessel around three nautical miles inside Taiwanese restricted waters.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
Upon inspection, around 500,000 liters of fuel were discovered onboard the vessel, leading coast guard personnel to suspect the vessel was in the area to refuel Chinese fishing vessels.
The six crew members were believed to be Chinese nationals, the CGA said, although they were not carrying any identification documents.
The unmarked vessel and its entire crew were then escorted to the Port of Taipei for further investigation.
Under Article 32 of the Act Governing Relations Between People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), Taiwanese authorities are authorized to drive away or seize vessels and cargoes, detain crew, or take “any necessary defensive action” in relation to Chinese vessels that enter “restricted or prohibited waters” without permission.
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