Taiwan Rescues All Crew Members on Stricken Ship as Super Typhoon Nears
Taiwan authorities completed the dramatic helicopter rescue of 19 crew members on a stricken ship, which foundered as Super Typhoon Krathon brings strong winds and heavy rains to the island.
All those on the Barbados-registered “Blue Lagoon” were rescued, the coast guard said in a statement. Rescuers used helicopters to lift the seafarers from the rolling deck of the bulk carrier, hours after the crew decided to abandon the sinking ship.
The successful rescue underscores Taiwan’s efforts to rapidly respond to the typhoon, which include releasing water from dams and dispatching hundreds of military personnel to the south and east of the island, which is already experiencing heavy rain. Still, the storm is expected to lash more of the island, which canceled all 234 domestic flights scheduled for Wednesday.
Taiwan just pulled off a dramatic rescue of 19 crew members from a stricken ship that was foundering due to super typhoon Krathon. Helicopters brought the crew to safety, despite the terrible weather and rough seas. Here is the video from the Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration. pic.twitter.com/968ds0LJh8
— Cindy Wang (@hwang61) October 1, 2024
Schools and offices were closed in six cities and countries in southern and eastern Taiwan on Tuesday, including in the key industrial port city of Kaohsiung, and the Penghu and Matsu islands announced closures from Tuesday night. There have been some 23 injuries in Taiwan, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The slow-moving storm could close offices and markets in the capital Taipei as early as Wednesday.
Taiwan will close its $2.5 trillion stock market on Wednesday.(Editor’s note: This article originally was published by Bloomberg on Tuesday, Oct. 1).
There were no immediate reports of casualties from the northern Philippines, where the storm formed earlier this week. Super Typhoon Krathon, known as Julian in the Philippines, had left the country’s waters as of Tuesday morning, according to its weather bureau.
The stricken Blue Lagoon vessel was southwest of Taiwan’s Orchid Island, right in the path of the storm, and the crew includes seven Ukrainians, nine Egyptians and three Russians. It was carrying 67,500 tons of ore from China to Singapore, according to the coast guard.
The storm was roughly 200 kilometers (124 miles) south-southwest of Kaohsiung at 4:15 p.m., with winds of 198 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 245 kph, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.
While the southern and eastern parts of the island continue to experience heavy rains and strong winds, weather in the capital Taipei was relatively calm for most of Tuesday, after some early morning gusts.
Some 152 ship crossings have been canceled Tuesday, along with 88 domestic flights and 24 international flights, according to Taiwan authorities. As many as 7,800 people across seven counties have been protectively evacuated, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.
Taiwan, which started canceling flights, ship sailings and some train services earlier this week, regularly experiences typhoons. In July, it shut offices and schools, and suspended the stock market for two days, as storm Gaemi lashed the island.
But most such storms typically make landfall on the less-populated east coast, and Krathon appears likely to impact the west, home to most of Taiwan’s heavy industry and manufacturing. Kaohsiung alone has more than 7,700 factories, including a plant being built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
“TSMC has activated routine typhoon alert preparation procedures at all our Taiwan fabs and construction sites, and we do not expect significant impact to our operations,” the company said in an email. Those measures include putting emergency response teams on standby, inspecting drainage systems, and minimizing the use of temporary installations exposed to strong winds.
The impact of Krathon on the Philippines appears to have been much less severe than that of storms seen earlier this year. At least 22 people died in the country in July as Gaemi compounded seasonal monsoon rains. In early September, at least 15 people died in the country as Storm Yagi triggered flash floods and landslides.
The Philippines said that while more than 77,000 people have been affected by this week’s storm, fewer than 1,800 have been evacuated. Some eight areas remain flooded, and heavy rains are still being experienced in several provinces.
Photograph: People carry sand bags from city government district offices for distribution in Kaohsiung as Super Typhoon Krathon moved towards Taiwan on Oct. 1, 2024. Photo credit: Walid Berrazeg/AFP/Getty Images