Marine

10.6, sinking

Japan: a Taiwanese fishing vessel Lienhe , with 16 crew members on board, sank after colliding with Japanese coast guard pilot vessel Koshiki (960 gt, built 1980) near disputed islands in the East China Sea. Koshiki scraped Lienhe while confirming its identity. Lienhe sank about an hour after the collision. All 16 Taiwanese crew members were rescued. The Chinese government blamed Japan’s Coast Guard for the sinking of the vessel. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Japan Coast Guard was acting “illegally” by entering Chinese territorial waters off the islands to check on the identity of the small Taiwanese fishing boat. Thirteen of the rescued anglers returned to Taiwan but three crew members were detained in Japan. Later two crew members were released while the vessel’s master was being held by Japanese authorities for questioning.