Chinese captain deported after damaging Taiwan undersea cable

The Coast Guard Administration said a Chinese fishing boat captain surnamed Wu was deported to China after paying compensation and fines for negligently damaging the Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 undersea cable.

• Deportation and escort:Coast Guard Administration escorted Wu out of Taiwan at 9:40 a.m. from Fu’ao Port (Nangan) to Huangqi Port (Fuzhou, China) via ferry after the Mainland Affairs Council approved the deportation; Wu paid NT$250,000 in compensation to Chunghwa Telecom and more than NT$90,000 to commute a three-month prison sentence.
• Incident and legal details: The cable damage occurred on Oct. 7, 2025, when the vessel “Min Lian Yu 60138” was about 4.2 nautical miles north of a cable station in Dongyin; the Fuchien Lienchiang District Court found the act negligent, citing Wu’s experience as a captain and his confession and settlement, and contrasted this case with the deliberate damage by the cargo vessel “Hong Tai 58” (sentenced to three years in February 2025).