Snorkelers almost carried away by rip current off Xiaoliuqiu

Snorkelers almost carried away by rip current off Xiaoliuqiu

2025-10-13

More than 10,000 people traveled to the island of Xiaoliuqiu over the National Day long weekend. It’s all fun and dandy until Sunday, when the northeast seasonal monsoon strengthened, creating a rip current that almost carried 11 snorkelers away. Fortunately, a witness caught the incident early, and the snorkelers’ tour operator managed to rescue them just in time.

Xiaoliuqiu is a popular destination for water activities. Long lines for the ferry and on the island itself are a common sight anytime the country is on holiday. This National Day long weekend is no different, but not without an unwanted emergency in between.

Voice of witness
Saw the snorkelers
While entering the harbor, I saw what looked like snorkelers from a boat. They were in the middle of ship traffic, so they were very likely carried there by a rip current to somewhere close to the middle of ship traffic.

The incident was immediately reported.

Voice of witness
Saw the snorkelers
We were pretty close to them when our ship passed by, but other ships about to leave the harbor were even closer. They were waving. It looked like they were asking for help. We called the Coast Guard to avoid an accident.

The Coast Guard’s local Inspection Office immediately stepped in. However, the snorkeling tour operator insisted that all their customers returned safely onboard and no one was taken to the high seas.

Chang Lung-chuan
Xiaoliuiu Inspection Office
We received a report from a member of the public saying that there were snorkelers possibly carried away from the coast line by currents. At the location of the incident, we checked with the tour operator, and they claimed that their customers have all boarded safely.

In a past incident, ten tourists standup paddleboarding with two coaches were carried by the currents to the high seas. Another involved eight divers running out of stamina while at sea, left adrift at the ocean surface. Thanks to the Coast Guard’s timely intervention, they all returned safely. The Coast Guard urges tourists to check the Ocean Affairs Council’s website for marine information before engaging in water activities.

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#safety #wateractivities #SUP #snorkeling #diving

海上驚魂! 小琉球11人潛水團"遭海流帶走" 幸運獲救

2025-10-13

屏東縣離島小琉球，雙十連假吸引萬人登島，週日收假日，疑似受到東北季風增強影響，有一支十一人的潛水隊伍，在上午十點多愈漂愈遠，有民眾透過瞭望，擔心潛水客被離岸流捲走，趕緊通報，還好，業者回報潛水客都已經平安上船，沒有被海流帶到外海。

只要是連續假期，到小琉球戲水的民眾，總是大排長龍，登島之後，各種親水活動都是人。不過，國慶連假收假日，卻有人瞭望到一支十一人的潛水隊伍，在小琉球花瓶岩附近，離岸愈來愈遠。

[[聲源目擊民眾]]
“進港的時候，看見那個應該是船潛的潛客，就在航道上面了，應該是被離岸流從別的地方，帶到靠近航道的地方。”

就擔心離暗流把人帶走，民眾趕緊通報。

[[聲源目擊民眾]]
“我們船經過的時候已經滿近了，然後其他船要出港的時候更近。有在揮手啦，感覺是要求救的樣子。通報(海巡)一下，不然避免有什麼狀況。”

海巡安檢所接到報案，立即派人協助，不過，潛水業者說，潛水客都已經平安上船，遊客沒有被帶到外海。

[[第五岸巡隊小琉球安檢所所長張龍全]]
“接獲民眾報案稱小琉球花瓶岩外海，疑似有潛水客遭海流帶離岸際，到場經與業者確認，該業者表示搭船之潛水客均已平安上船。”

因為以往的經驗，曾經有10位遊客跟兩位教練，進行立式划槳活動時，被海流推往外海。也有過8名潛水客，體力不支在海面上漂流求救；都幸虧海巡及時救援，岸巡隊人員提醒，海上、岸際的水域遊憩活動，可先行查詢海洋委員的海洋水流資訊。

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