A cargo ship of Chinese background and Togolese nationality, the “Hung Tai 58” (the name displayed on the ship’s side as “Hung Tai 168”), was suspected of breaking the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable on February 25th. The Chinese captain, surnamed Wang, was detained and denied communication. The Tainan District Prosecutor’s Office concluded the investigation and filed charges today, transferring the case to the Tainan District Court and planning to deport the 7 crew members.
The Tainan District Prosecutor’s Office announced in a press release that Prosecutor Xu Shuhan commanded a special task force including the Coast Guard Fleet Division 4 to investigate the damage caused by the cargo ship “Hung Tai 58” to the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 cable (TP3) within the Republic of China’s maritime territory, resulting in the prosecution.
The captain, surnamed Wang, a Chinese national on the Togolese cargo ship “Hung Tai 58,” knowingly destroyed the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 cable, as the electronic chart on the ship indicated the location of the Republic of China’s submarine cable. The area where the cable was located, off the coast of Beimen District in Tainan, is a designated no-anchoring zone by the Taiwan government, prohibiting ships from dropping anchor.
In the early hours of February 25th, the Chinese national captain, Wang, ordered the crew to release the anchor and maneuver the ship in a zig-zag pattern over the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 cable, using the ship’s anchor to break the cable. This incident damaged the undersea cable system of Chunghwa Telecom and disrupted telephone and broadband communication between Taiwan Island and Penghu.
The Tainan District Prosecutor’s Office charged Captain Wang with violating Article 72, Paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Management Act for damaging the submarine cable facilities. The prosecutor requested the court to consider Wang’s denial of guilt, refusal to disclose the identity of the mastermind behind the incident, and poor post-offense attitude in determining an appropriate penalty. The involvement of the shipowner of “Hung Tai 58” is still under investigation by the prosecutor’s office.
Moreover, after an investigation by the special task force, the mainland Chinese crew members surnamed Qin, Liu, Zhang, Huang, Jiang, Zhang, and Luo were deemed to have insufficient evidence of criminal suspicion and will not be prosecuted. The 7 Chinese crew members are currently detained and will be deported by the relevant authorities in accordance with the law.
The Tainan District Prosecutor’s Office will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies to combat malicious acts of sabotaging the Republic of China’s undersea cable lines, safeguarding the security of Taiwan’s telecommunications infrastructure and the rights of its people.
The Maritime and Port Bureau of Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration issued a statement today, reporting that on February 25th, the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable broke 6 nautical miles northwest of Tainan’s Jiangjun Fishing Port. The Coast Guard immediately dispatched patrol boats, including the PP-10079 vessel stationed in the area, to intercept and inspect the “Hung Tai” cargo ship. Additional vessels were dispatched to escort the ship back to Anping Port in Tainan for further investigation under the command of the Southern Prosecutor’s Office.
The Taiwan Coast Guard stated that a meeting was held on January 6th by the Maritime and Port Bureau on the “Handling and Advancement Coordination Meeting for Damaged Submarine Cables,” aiming to establish consensus and protection mechanisms for cable incidents. Responding swiftly, law enforcement actions were taken with the deployment of maritime assets and the apprehension of the foreign cargo ship suspected of hit-and-run, demonstrating strong law enforcement in matters of national security.
The Taiwan Coast Guard also showcased its capacity for immediate response and coordination with transportation authorities, digital development agencies, and the judiciary, underscoring the government’s firm commitment to safeguarding maritime security. Plans for future collaboration across ministries, monitoring vessels with Chinese backgrounds or substandard ships, will be implemented to closely guard Taiwan’s maritime security, ensuring the nation’s sovereignty and well-being are not threatened.