Rescue Efforts Underway After Typhoon Gaemi Strands Freighters in Taiwan Strait

Taiwan's coast guard is attempting to rescue dozens of sailors stranded off the southern coast after Typhoon Gaemi sank a freighter and stranded eight others in the Taiwan Strait. The typhoon brought gusts up to 227 kph, causing flash floods, injuries, and fatalities. Rescue efforts are ongoing.

Taiwan's coast guard is in a race against time to rescue dozens of sailors stranded off the southern coast following Typhoon Gaemi's destructive sweep through the region. On Friday, Gaemi's wrath led to the sinking of a freighter and the grounding of eight others in the Taiwan Strait.

The powerful typhoon struck Taiwan on Thursday with gusts reaching up to 227 kph (141 mph) before moving westward towards China. The storm left one crew member dead, four rescued, and four others missing from a Tanzania-flagged cargo ship near Kaohsiung port, according to coast guard officials.

A total of seventy-nine crew members remain stranded on eight freighters, awaiting rescue. Earlier, nine were rescued from a Togo-flagged freighter. The unprecedented number of stranded ships highlights the typhoon's severity, which has also caused over 1,800 mm of rain and significant flash flooding. Efforts to save remaining sailors continue, as businesses and schools in southern Taiwan remain closed for a third day due to the storm's impact.