Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that the Togolese cargo ship Hongtai 58 with Chinese background was suspected of towing and cutting the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 submarine communications cable in late February. The Chinese captain surnamed Wang admitted that he instructed the crew to drop anchor and was derelict in his duty, but denied any crime. The Tainan District Court sentenced him to three years in prison, which can be appealed.
The electronic nautical chart of the Hongtai 58 cargo ship did mark the location of the submarine communications cable, and this area was also announced as a prohibited anchoring warning zone, and ships were not allowed to anchor. Captain Wang instructed crew members Qin and Zhang to release six anchor chains (about 160 meters long) and the anchor claws were not firmly fixed to the seabed. The captain allowed the ship to wander in a zigzag pattern on the sea surface, causing the Taiwan-Penghu Cable No. 3 to be completely severed.
There was insufficient evidence to prove the involvement of the other seven crew members, who were deported with no prosecution carried out.
Source: CNA, June 12, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/asoc/202506120208.aspx