Per my previous blogs you know that i sailed on the Princess Taiping from San Francisco to San Diego, and then visited them again in Honolulu. I was stoked when they invited me to come all the way back to Taiwan. And i couldn't go because of my probationary status in the Harbor Community. Well i got voted in last month, and now have to type the sad news that the Princess Taiping got hit by a freighter early morning last Sunday. they were on the last leg from okinawa and already could see the lights on the coast of Taiwan. Accounts vary but they were between 42 and 25 miles out when the boat got cut in two by a big freighter who then lingered around a bit but didn't offer assistance and instead steamed off. All 11 crew, many of them my friends, survived. they managed to cling onto the wreckage for several hours. the activated EPIRB alarmed the US coast guard who then relayed the distress call to Taiwan. the taiwanese coast guard came with a cutter and a helicopter. all 11 were airlifted to Taiwan. you can google the incident to find out more or look at pictures and footage. i am floored. The one image shows their route from Okinawa to Taiwan, the second the rest of the bow section. the main mast is gone, but the anchor windlass going thwardships and the emergency rudder are easy to spot. the jib is still working driving the partial hull. chinese watertight bulkheads do work! all the crew managed to hold on to the stern part, i don't have a photo of that. but you can see it up online. My heart is with my ship mates!
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