1 missing as Panamanian oil tanker runs aground off Taichung Port

Taipei, Dec. 8 (CNA) Rescuers are searching for a Chinese crew member of the Panamanian oil tanker "Liquid Gen," which ran aground near the Port of Taichung, the Taichung Harbor Police Department said Sunday.

The tanker, with a crew of 15, ran aground late Saturday after its anchor dragged, leaving it to drift with the wind and waves before coming to rest and listing at an angle of about 15 degrees near a breakwater 500 meters from shore, police said.

The department said 12 of the 15 crew members were airlifted to safety, while three jumped overboard fearing the ship might capsize.

Among the three, a Taiwanese and a Chinese national were rescued without serious injuries, while a 47-year-old Chinese crew member remains missing, police said, adding that the National Airborne Service Corps is currently searching for the individual.

The 4,240 gross-ton tanker, measuring 99.8 meters in length, is not considered an immediate risk because it is grounded near wave-dissipating blocks, according to Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC).

There are concerns, however, about potential damage to the ship and oil spillage from collisions with the blocks, leading to the deployment of oil containment booms and absorbent pads as a precaution, TIPC said.

The tanker entered Taichung Port for inspection in mid-November and had been anchored offshore since late November, awaiting clearance to dock and load diesel fuel, police said.

The vessel has mostly emptied its fuel tanks, leaving only 110 tons of operational fuel on board, TIPC confirmed.