Four missing after two fishing ships capsize northwest of Taiwan

New Taipei, Nov. 6 (CNA) Two Taiwanese fishing vessels capsized in waters northwest of Taiwan between late Wednesday and Thursday, with nine people saved, four missing, and rescue efforts ongoing for two other crew members from one of the boats, as of Thursday night.

According to Vice Captain Su Chen-yi (蘇振義) of the northern mobile unit of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Fleet Branch, his unit first received a report Thursday morning that a fishing boat, designation Yu Shan No.36, had capsized in waters northwest of Taiwan's Cape Fugui on Wednesday night.

Of the nine crew members, six were saved by nearby fishing boats and transported to Fuji Fishing Harbor, according the CGA's Northern Branch.

Earlier on Thursday, Taiwan's National Airborne Service Corps rescuers spotted one of the three missing individuals entangled in fishing nets near the stern of a boat, another was holding onto the overturned cabin, while a third person remains unaccounted for, the office told CNA Thursday night.

Although weather conditions prevented the helicopters from airlifting the two individuals, CGA rescuers on a boat at the scene are still attempting to rescuing them, the office added.

The office said that there were foreign crew members on board the ship that capsized 14 nautical miles off the coast of Tamsui, but their nationalities remain unclear.

In addition to the Yu Shan No. 36, another Taiwanese fishing boat, designation Lih Fa No.168, capsized 35 nautical miles northwest of Keelung Harbor, according to the CGA.

Three of the six members on board the vessel have been saved by fishing boats, while three crew members -- Taiwanese, Chinese and Indonesian -- remained missing. Joint sea and air search and rescue operations are ongoing, the CGA said.