Taiwan’s Navy has reported that the search is ongoing for three crew members of a Taiwanese submarine who were swept off their boat by a sudden large wave last week.
The accident occurred last Thursday during a training mission in southeastern Taiwan, and it was not widely covered in the media due to the festive period.
Despite the “golden 72 hours” having passed, the search-and-rescue mission has not stopped.
“All officers and soldiers are brothers and sisters, and we will not give up the search and rescue of anyone,” Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. Wu Li-ping said during a press briefing in Taipei on Tuesday.
Rogue waves
On Dec. 21, four crew members were on the deck of the submarine to recover a rescue buoy. Three of them were swept off the deck by a sudden large wave, and the search continues for the missing sailors named Lin, Yen, and Chang.
The Hai Hu left the southern port of Kaohsiung on Dec. 18 for a training exercise and is set to finish on Dec. 29.
Taiwan is building its first indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun, with a budget of US$1.54 billion and aims to have three submarines with full combat capabilities by 2025 and four by 2027.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s defense ministry stated there have been no signs of large-scale Chinese military activity around the island.
The election outcomes are expected to play a decisive role in the relations with mainland China.
The Chinese military often holds drills around Taiwan at times of big political events.
Edited by Taejun Kang and Elaine Chan.