Indonesian seaman dies amid oil tanker mishap near Matsu Islands

Taipei, Jan. 25 (CNA) An Indonesian seaman has died but seven others have been rescued after the ship they working on, a Belize-registered oil tanker, ran aground in waters near the Matsu Islands on Friday evening.

The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said Saturday that the oil tanker, the "Wei Sen No.8," was first spotted stranded near Beigan Island at around 9 p.m. on Friday by the Matsu patrol command.

The command dispatched a patrol boat and confirmed that the oil tanker had likely run aground, according to a news statement issued by the CGA's Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch on Saturday.

"The vessel sustained hull damage and water ingress, creating an emergency situation with eight Indonesian crew members awaiting rescue," the statement read.

The branch said four additional patrol boats were later dispatched to the scene along with a rescue helicopter.

At around 3 a.m. Saturday, seven crew members were successfully rescued from the tanker, but a crew member fell into the sea during the rescue and, after being retrieved by a patrol boat and rushed to Lienchiang County Hospital, was pronounced dead.

The branch said it will continue monitoring the condition of the oil tanker to check for potential oil spills and will work with the Lienchiang District Prosecutors Office and other agencies to manage the vessel's removal and address any pollution caused by the ship.