Yong Yu Sing No. 18 (Chinese: 永裕興18號) was a Taiwanese fishing vessel found adrift and unoccupied near Midway Atoll after losing contact with shore. Taiwanese authorities concluded the crew was lost due to a weather event.
 The vessel after being discovered adrift
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Yong Yu Sing No. 18 |
| Port of registry | Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| Launched | 2001 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Tuna longliner |
| Length | 29.6 m (97 ft 1 in) |
| Notes | [1] |
Vessel
editThe Yong Yu Sing No. 18 is a fishing vessel used for longline tuna fishing. Built in 2001, it is 29.6 metres (97 ft 1 in) long, carries a crew of 15, and is equipped with at least one freezer. Its IMO number is 8546579.[1]
Discovery
editThe vessel was spotted floating near Midway Atoll on 2 January 2021.[2] Upon further inspection by the United States Coast Guard, a lifeboat was missing, as were all 10 crew. The ship was also damaged in what looked to be a collision. The boat was left adrift in the Pacific Ocean, and the US Coast Guard continued to search for the missing crew. Of the 10 on board when it went missing, nine were of Indonesian nationality and the captain was Taiwanese.[2][3][4][5]
Investigation
editThe incident was investigated by Taiwan Yilan District Prosecutors Office. They found there were "no signs of physical altercations, blood, or explosions", but there were "multiple structural damages found on the hull [...] indicat[ing] the boat underwent strong wind waves from multiple directions". The case was closed with the conclusion of "no criminal conducts involved".[6] The Liberty Times reported that the most likely cause was that large waves caused the crew to fall into the sea and that murder or piracy is not likely.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "YONG YU SING NO.18 | WCPFC". www.wcpfc.int. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Fishing vessel adrift deep in the Pacific, 10 crew missing". Fleetmon. 5 January 2021. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "US promises to continue search for crew on missing Taiwan fishing boat". Taiwan News. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Mysterious Abandoned Longliner Taken in Tow Off Midway". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ "Coast Guard suspends search for missing mariners off Midway Island | Coast Guard News". coastguardnews.com. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ "Yilan District Prosecutors Office Conclude Investigations on Missing Crew Members of the Su'ao Yong Yu Sing No. 18 Fishing Boat after Finding No Criminal Activity Involved Regarding the Disappearances" (PDF). Taiwan Yilan District Prosecutors Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 Jun 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ 江志雄 (9 March 2021). "「船在人不在」真相呼之欲出？永裕興18號完成2階段採證". Liberty Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2022.