Taiwan has detained the captain of a Chinese-funded cargo ship accused of severing an undersea telecoms cable serving the Penghu island group, a Tainan court confirmed on Thursday. The ship, Hongtai, registered under Togo’s flag of convenience, was intercepted by the Coast Guard on Tuesday after the cable was reported cut.
The court ordered the detention of the captain, surnamed Wang, citing him as a flight risk. Authorities stated that the severed cable disrupted inter-island communications, impacting government and social functions. The court emphasized that the incident was serious, posing potential public danger and social security threats. Wang denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors have barred the remaining seven Chinese crew members from leaving Taiwan as investigations continue. The Hongtai was spotted lingering six nautical miles northwest of Jiangjun Fishing Port before being intercepted.
Taiwan’s digital affairs ministry directed Chunghwa Telecom to reroute Penghu’s communications through alternative undersea cables to prevent service disruptions. This incident follows previous cases of Taiwanese undersea cables being damaged, sometimes attributed to natural deterioration or Chinese vessels.
The Coast Guard has identified 52 Chinese-linked ships flying flags of convenience from countries including Mongolia, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone for close surveillance. Authorities monitor ship movements, anomalies in automatic identification systems, and potential use of fake vessel names. Vessels suspected of loitering near subsea cables receive radio warnings, with boarding inspections conducted when necessary.
