Captain Jailed for Severing Taiwan’s Undersea Cables

In a significant ruling, a court in Taiwan has handed down a three-year prison sentence to the captain of the Hong Tai 58 for damaging critical undersea communication cables connecting Taiwan with the Penghu Islands.

The incident took place on February 25th of this year, when the Hong Tai 58 was anchored off Taiwan’s southern coast—close to the mapped locations of vital submarine cables. Despite receiving multiple alerts from the Taiwanese coast guard urging it to vacate the area, the ship remained. Shortly after the vessel eventually moved on, authorities were notified that a section of the undersea cable had been cut.

The ship was subsequently detained by the Coast Guard to allow for a thorough investigation.

Captain Changes Story Amid Accusations of Malice

Initially, the captain denied any wrongdoing. However, he later admitted that he "might have broken the cable." He explained that bad weather forced him to anchor and claimed he was unaware of the submarine cable zone. Prosecutors refuted this, arguing that the vessel’s electronic navigation charts clearly marked the cable routes, suggesting that the captain had knowingly acted in a harmful manner.

Authorities also cast doubt on the vessel’s legitimacy. The ship had reportedly carried cargo only once in the past year yet continued to navigate the Taiwan Strait, raising suspicions. Furthermore, the vessel's movement while anchored did not match standard circular patterns; instead, it moved in a zig-zag manner, according to investigators.

No Espionage Evidence, but Sentence Still Imposed

A review of the captain’s phone data showed no evidence of connections to Chinese intelligence services. Nonetheless, based on the damage and the suspicious behavior, the court found enough reason to impose a three-year prison term. The rest of the crew was returned to their country of origin.

The case underscores growing concerns around maritime activities and the protection of critical infrastructure in the Taiwan Strait.