On Saturday afternoon, three divers were struck by a fast-moving fishing boat approximately 1.3 kilometers southeast of Houbihu Beach in Kenting.
The divers, who had surfaced and were floating with their buoyancy control devices activated, were awaiting pickup by their dive boat when the fishing vessel—reportedly departing from Wushi Fishing Harbor—passed at high speed and collided with them at around 4:35 p.m. Two of the divers were hit by the boat’s propeller, sustaining severe injuries, according to local media reports.
The boat is believed to have continued on its course without realizing the impact had occurred. Authorities have criticized the vessel’s captain for allegedly failing to monitor sea traffic and for operating at an unsafe speed.
One of the injured, a 41-year-old man surnamed Liu, suffered several deep cuts and was taken to Hengchun Tourism Hospital. Another diver, a 38-year-old also surnamed Liu, experienced critical trauma, including broken bones in his leg, shoulder, and arm, along with extensive lacerations. He received initial care at Nan Men General Hospital before being transferred to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for further treatment.
The third diver was not seriously hurt but was hospitalized for monitoring.
The Coast Guard has launched an investigation to determine who was at fault. Officials are examining whether the divers were in a designated area or if the fishing boat deviated from its usual route. Investigators are currently in contact with the fishing vessel for further questioning.
Local diving professionals say incidents involving fishing boats are a recurring concern in the Houbihu area, with longstanding tensions over shared water access. The location of the accident is believed to lie outside of the formal waterway boundaries, raising the possibility that the boat’s crew may have been unfamiliar with local navigation routes.
Dive shop operators are urging faster implementation of water-use zoning to improve safety and prevent future collisions.
As of 6:30 p.m. that day, the Coast Guard had collected statements from both the dive boat and fishing vessel captains as part of the ongoing inquiry.
Source: Taiwan News
Comments
