HSIANG FU CHUEN
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Argentina to join search
Argentina planned tp dispatch naval vessels to help locate the "Hsiang Fu Chuen" missing in the South Atlantic since Feb 26. The ship had food reserves for at least three months when it sailed off from Kaohsiung in January to the area 1,700 nautical miles east of the Falkland Islands. The longliner was due to return in May. It would take about 12 hours for a plane to fly to and return from the last recorded location, thus, few were willing to join the search efforts. One Taiwan vessel close to the area has joined the search efforts. Even though Argentina has agreed to send out naval ships, it will take at least four days for vessels to arrive.
Search for 49 missing seamen on-going
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs said the search for the missing Taiwanese fishing vessel the Hsiang Fu Chun and its crew, which includes 13 Filipinos, is ongoing. However, the search has been hampered by poor weather conditions and the great distance between the vessel's last known location and the closest land base. DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said that the Philippine embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina reported last March 3 the Taiwanese fishing vessel the Hsiang Fu Chun has been missing off the Argentinian coast since February 26. The vessel's last position was 1,460 miles from the nearest Argentine port of Puerto Disiado in Sta. Cruz province. The DFA said the embassy in Argentina continues to coordinate with the relevant parties and will send updates once they become available. On Sunday, Agence France-Presse quoted authorities as saying the Taiwanese ship had vanished in the remote South Atlantic Ocean without any sign of a mayday call but shortly after its skipper reported it was taking on water. The Hsiang Fu Chun, a 700-ton squid fishing vessel, lost contact with its owners "soon" after reporting that water was leaking on to the deck at around 3 a.m. on February 26, officials said. The vessel was sailing about 1,700 nautical miles (3,148 kilometers) off the Falkland Islands when it vanished, according to recorded satellite data. Its crew include a Taiwanese skipper and chief engineer, as well as 11 Chinese, 21 Indonesian, 13 Filipino and two Vietnamese sailors. Taiwan has launched a search effort, and is appealing for assistance from Argentina and Britain as well as other ships in the area.
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